# Labor Network for Sustainability > Making a Living on a Living Planet > Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.3, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Transit Labor Roundtable](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-labor-roundtable/) - [The Green New Deal 2.0 vs. the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-green-new-deal-2-0-vs-the-polycrisis/): In 2008, in the depths of the Great Recession, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for “investment that fights climate change, creates millions of green jobs and spurs green growth.” He said what the world needs, in short, is a “Green New Deal.” - [Election Protection vs MAGA Tyranny](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/election-protection-vs-maga-tyranny/): The Democratic Party has been spectacularly ineffective in providing an opposition to Trump’s drive for authoritarian domination. Merely electing Democrats is no solution to the crisis of American democracy. But popular defense of free and fair elections, and a massive electoral repudiation of Trump and MAGA in November, can play an important role in the struggle to democratize the U.S. - [Latest Newsletter](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/latest-newsletter/): Read and subscribe to our monthly newsletter and support our work. - [October LNS Spotlight: Muzammal Afzal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/october-lns-spotlight-muzammal-afzal/): Muzammal is a Muslim Kashmiri-Pakistani immigrant to the United States whose work is rooted in a deep commitment to socio-economic justice and development, with a focus on building working class power. Muzammal grew up as a refugee in Pakistan during the United States's war on terror and the Pakistani Army's dictatorship rule. - [Unions and Communities Fight for Free and Fair Elections](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-and-communities-fight-for-free-and-fair-elections/): Worried that Trump and MAGA may steal the upcoming mid-term elections? LNS co-sponsored a September 22 webinar on “Building and Defending Democracy in November’s Elections” that addresses the fightback to block attempts to interfere with free and fair elections. - [“With the Sincerity of a Prophet”: Uehlein Tour Rolls On](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/with-the-sincerity-of-a-prophet-uehlein-tour-rolls-on/): LNS president Joe Uehlein’s book-and-music tour continues with dates around the country. Here is the schedule for the entire tour. - [“A Life-Long Love of the Union Movement”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-life-long-love-of-the-union-movement/): On Monday, September 14, I attended the Amherst stop of Joe Uehlein's cross-country book tour, in support of his newly published Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology. Joe tells the story of a life-long love of the union movement, songs, and nature fostered first as a boy outside of Cleveland. - [Queen City Climate Convergence](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/queen-city-climate-convergence/): The Black Climate Leadership Summit, co-hosted by Taproot Noire (a global Black climate network rooted in Taproot Earth) and SOL Nation as part of the Queen City Climate Convergence on September 16–17 in Charlotte, North Carolina, brought together Black-identifying frontline and environmental justice leaders, organizers, and advocates from across the globe. - [Union Prez Sez “Labor Unions Must Unite Against AI Data Centers”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-prez-sez-labor-unions-must-unite-against-ai-data-centers/): Opposition to datacenters grows on both sides of the political aisle as developers plan to invest $8tn to build them in the coming years... - [UE’s Green Locomotive Project Steaming Ahead](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ues-green-locomotive-project-steaming-ahead/): UE’s Green Locomotive Project is an innovative model for grassroots union initiative to create good union jobs, address climate change, and clean up pollution in the low-income communities and communities of color which bear the brunt of pollution from rail yards. - [America’s Future: Fossil Fuel Island in a Greentech World?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/americas-future-fossil-fuel-island-in-a-greentech-world/): What does the global Greentech revolution mean for the American people? It could open new vistas of a Greentech New Deal. But as long as the US opposes rather than joining the Greentech revolution, it portends not only climate catastrophe, but economic catastrophe as well. - [Will the US be a “Fossil Fuel Island” in a Greentech World?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/will-the-us-be-a-fossil-fuel-island-in-a-greentech-world/): In a new commentary, LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher warns, “As long as the US opposes rather than joining the Greentech revolution, it portends not only climate catastrophe, but economic catastrophe as well.” - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-19/): The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently announced that for the first time, summer in the Lower 48 states was hotter than during the peak of the devastating Dust Bowl in 1936, the highest ever recorded... - [Irresistible Greentech Revolution Meets Immovable Trump Counter-Revolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/irresistible-greentech-revolution-meets-immovable-trump-counter-revolution/): As we saw in the previous commentary, Donald Trump is conducting a full spectrum counter-revolution against the Greentech revolution that is transforming energy production and consumption worldwide. This commentary shows that he has managed to significantly impede the onward march of Greentech in the US, but that Greentech is marching on nonetheless. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-17/): According to UNICEF’s new Children’s Climate Risk Report, half of the world’s children are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards threatening their health, education and survival. Globally, children face increasing threats from heatwaves, storms, floods and droughts as the climate crisis worsens, with more than one billion facing at least three of these at once. - [Visit Colorado’s Natural and Cultural Wonders – Transportation Free!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/visit-colorados-natural-and-cultural-wonders-transportation-free/): Beginning Memorial Day weekend 2026, the free Westracks shuttle will operate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays through Labor Day. - [World Court Affirms: Workers Have a Right to Strike](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/world-court-affirms-workers-have-a-right-to-strike/): In an advisory opinion issued May 21, the International Court of Justice ruled that the right to strike is protected under the International Labor Organization’s Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement... - [UN General Assembly Backs World Court: International Law Says Governments Legally Responsible to Protect the Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/un-general-assembly-backs-world-court-international-law-says-governments-legally-responsible-to-protect-the-climate/): In March, 2023 the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, to rule on the obligation of nations to protect the climate under international law... - [Has Trump Defeated the Greentech New Deal?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/has-trump-defeated-the-greentech-new-deal/): In two new pieces in his Commentary on Solidarity and Survival series, LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher reviews Donald Trump’s war against fossil-free energy and examines to what extent it has succeeded. - [Green Workers Alliance Crashes Edison Electric Institute Summit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-workers-alliance-crashes-edison-electric-institute-summit/): The Green Workers Alliance is an organization of 1,800 renewable energy workers across the country who are mobilizing to win more and better jobs in the sector... - [Why All the Fuss about Data Centers?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/why-all-the-fuss-about-data-centers/): Data centers are large warehouse-like structures filled with digital electronics that process artificial intelligence (AI). They can encompass more than a million square feet. Today by one count there are 4,149 data centers in the US, with 2,788 more under construction or planned. LNS is currently preparing an informational guide about the impact of data centers on workers... - [“Then They Came for the Trade Unionists...”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/then-they-came-for-the-trade-unionists/): Minnesota trade unionists are among 15 people indicted in mid-June on charges of “conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer” during ICE attacks on Minneapolis since December 2025... - [LNS Prez Joe Uehlein Touring with New Book and Guitar](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-joe-uehlein-touring-with-new-book-and-guitar/): Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology is a new book by LNS president and founder Joe Uehlein. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants/Communication Workers of America says, “Three Roads is both an instruction manual for building campaigns to win big fights and a deeply personal and uplifting memoir. Joe is a true champion for working people and our planet, and he makes the stories of our fight sing off the page.” - [WEBINAR: Building and Defending Democracy in November’s Elections](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/webinar-building-and-defending-democracy-in-novembers-elections/): The future of the Republic will be at stake in November’s elections. Voters and movements face critical questions about protecting constitutional democracy, the rule of law, economic security, racial justice, and peace. This webinar will help state and community-based movement leaders identify key priorities, actions, and policy commitments as they prepare for the elections. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-18/): State of the Climate: Not So Good...The recently released 2025 State of the Climate report by the American Meteorological Society found that “high humidity heat extremes occurred with near-record frequency and intensity” in 2025. The report identified continued burning of fossil fuels as the primary source of record-high greenhouse gas levels, which are raising global temperatures and intensifying extreme weather. - [LNS’s Senior Strategic Advisor Jeremy Brecher on Data Centers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lnss-senior-strategic-advisor-jeremy-brecher-on-data-centers/): Two new Strike! Commentaries by LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher put the burgeoning issue of data centers in labor and climate perspective... - [Unions Divided on Data Centers and AI](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-divided-on-data-centers-and-ai/): As hundreds of working-class communities around the country battle against hyperscale data centers, organized labor is divided on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) those data centers support. - [Climate Protection vs. Jobs?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-protection-vs-jobs/): Overall, climate protection policies create jobs and improve conditions for workers. But employers can try to take advantage of climate policies in ways that harm workers instead. - [9 in 10 Americans Say Extreme Heat Is Affecting Their Lives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/9-in-10-americans-say-extreme-heat-is-affecting-their-lives/): An AP/NORDC poll conducted in July asked people tell whether extreme heat has impacted their lives. 90 percent answered that it had. - [Trump’s Attacks on Clean Energy Cost Half-a-Million Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trumps-attacks-on-clean-energy-cost-half-a-million-jobs/): A new report from the nonpartisan business group E2 found that since Donald Trump was inaugurated, 216 major clean energy generation and manufacturing projects were scrapped, closed, or downsized. That led to the loss of nearly half a million potential jobs. The projects would have generated an estimated $53 billion in wages for workers during construction and more than $31 billion annually after they began operation. - [Fired Federal Workers Want to Let You Know What the Government Won’t Tell You about Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/fired-federal-workers-want-to-let-you-know-what-the-government-wont-tell-you-about-climate-change/): A recent article by Sasha Abramsky in TruthOut tells how “Fired Federal Employees Are Bringing Climate Change Info Back to the People.” - [Climate Justice Leaders Support Striking Transit Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-justice-leaders-support-striking-transit-workers/): On July 28th, representatives from the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), alongside comrades from sister organizations including the Just Transition Alliance, The Chisholm Legacy Project, and Taproot Earth, joined the picket line in Jackson, Mississippi. The delegation stood in direct solidarity with striking transit workers represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1208. - [Prez Uehlein on What We’re Really Facing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/prez-uehlein-on-what-were-really-facing/): Global warming causes climate change. Climate Change is here. Many wrongly talk about what we are experiencing now as the new normal; it is not. Think of this year as the least extreme. It will get worse every year until we stop burning fossil fuels. Not reduce, but stop burning fossil fuels; and reduce meat consumption. - [LNS Prez Joe Uehlein Book-and-Music Tour Coming to Boston September 16](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-joe-uehlein-book-and-music-tour-coming-to-boston-september-16/): Joe Uehlein’s tour for his new book Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology rolls on. Joe says... - [September 2026 LNS Spotlight: Sanchioni Butler](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/september-2026-lns-spotlight-sanchioni-butler/): Sanchioni Butler is a veteran labor organizer, policy advocate, coalition builder, and leadership development professional with more than three decades of experience advancing workers’ rights, workplace democracy, racial and economic justice, and community empowerment. - [The Data Center Rebellion](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-data-center-rebellion/): The threats presented by hyperscale data centers are galvanizing resistance in hundreds of communities around the country. How are those movements developing? What is their significance? And how might they help shape a “Greentech New Deal” to address our climate, affordability, and democracy crises? - [Will Data Centers Derail the Greentech Revolution?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/will-data-centers-derail-the-greentech-revolution/): The startling growth of hyperscale data centers for processing artificial intelligence threatens to exacerbate the climate crisis, the jobs crisis, and the affordability crisis. This commentary presents an overview of the data center explosion and its likely effects. The next commentary in this series will examine the emerging “Data Center Rebellion” and how it can become a major force promoting a Greentech New Deal. - [Phasing Out Fossil Folly](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/phasing-out-fossil-folly/): The Greentech revolution makes it possible to pivot rapidly away from fossil fuels. But realizing that possibility requires actually halting and reversing fossil fuel extraction and burning. President Trump is doing everything possible instead to expand such fossil folly – and to crush any efforts to restrain it. But the fight to reduce fossil fuels continues from below. - [Greentech Revolution in the States](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/greentech-revolution-in-the-states/): While Trump conducts his war against Greentech, many US states are forging ahead with energy expansion based on sun, wind, and water. Greentech’s slashing of the cost of renewable energy production and use has made states turn to it not only to protect the climate but to make energy affordable for their people. - [Greentech New Deals in the Cities](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/greentech-new-deals-in-the-cities/): While President Trump has repeatedly declared the Green New Deal dead, Green New Deal-type programs are burgeoning at a sub-national level. These initiatives are facilitated by the advent of new technologies that have enormously improved fossil free energy production and use and made them far cheaper. This commentary takes a look at Greentech New Deal initiatives in American cities. - [Trump’s Anti-Greentech Counter-Revolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/trumps-anti-greentech-counter-revolution/): From the day of his inauguration until long after the closing of the Straits of Hormuz, President Donald Trump and his fossil fuel supporters have conducted an unrelenting war against the Greentech revolution and fossil free energy. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-16/): A New York Times report based on EPA data finds that the recent expansion of coal production has led to a significant increase of toxic mercury is in the air. That reverses a downward trend of mercury emissions, which interfere with brain development. - [Stop Greed! Build Green! – A Working Class Climate Agenda](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/stop-greed-build-green-a-working-class-climate-agenda/): A new report from the Climate and Community Institute lays out an affordability agenda to combine climate protection with economic protection for working people through “green economic populism.” - [The Greentech Revolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-greentech-revolution/): Unexpected breakthroughs are making energy produced from sun, wind, and water cheaper, safer, and more efficient than energy produced from fossil fuels. That’s according to a new series of commentaries by LNS senior strategic advisor and co-founder Jeremy Brecher. - [Solar and Wind Providing 99% of New Global Electricity!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/solar-and-wind-providing-99-of-new-global-electricity/): According to a new report from the research organization Ember, last year solar and wind power accounted for 99 percent of the growth in world electricity supply, while generation using fossil fuels declined. - [Workers Confronting the “New Economy”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-confronting-the-new-economy/): Liz Razloff, Director, Center for Labor and Community Studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and former co-director of the Labor Network for Sustainability, recently wrote... - [Unions Back Eugene, OR, Clean Energy Fund](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-back-eugene-or-clean-energy-fund/): A growing list of labor unions – including IBEW Local 280, Iron Workers Local 29, SMART Local 16, CWA Local 7901, and the Eugene Education Association – have all endorsed the Eugene Clean Energy Fund. - [LNS Marches with Southern Service Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-marches-with-southern-service-workers/): At the recent Jobs With Justice conference in Atlanta, labor and community organizers joined Union of Southern Service Workers members in a powerful march and rally alongside Waffle House workers demanding dignity on the job, safer workplaces, and a living wage. - [Uehlein Book-and-Concert Tour Kicks Off in Dearborn, Chicago, and Denver](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uehlein-book-and-concert-tour-kicks-off-in-dearborn-chicago-and-denver/): LNS president Joe Uehlein will kick off a tour for his new book, Three Roads: Labor Music Ecology June 11 in Dearborn, MI to celebrate the release of Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology. - [LNS President Uehlein Tells His Story in New Three Roads Book](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-uehlein-tells-his-story-in-new-three-roads-book-2/): On June 2, PM Press will publish Three Roads: Labor Music Ecology by Joe Uehlein, founder of the Labor Network for Sustainability. - [The US and the Greentech Revolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-us-and-the-greentech-revolution/): The previous two Strike! commentaries described how Greentech technologies that protect and improve the environment are revolutionizing energy production and consumption worldwide. The Greentech revolution has also been under way in the US, but it has been severely retarded by the power of the fossil fuel industry and its allies and the policies they promulgated. - [Greentech Revolution: Energy Consumption](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/greentech-revolution-energy-consumption/): Radical, unanticipated developments in electrification, storage, distribution, and other technologies are transforming not only the way energy is produced but also the way it is used. Like the transformation in energy production, these advances in energy consumption are transforming economies and creating new opportunities to protect the climate and improve our lives. - [May LNS Spotlight: Carlos Torrealba](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/may-lns-spotlight-carlos-torrealba/): Carlos Torrealba currently is the Network and Formations Manager at Taproot Earth, where he’s helping build the Gulf South to Appalachia Formation, a powerful 17-state network of over 100 frontline organizations. - [Same Boss, Same Enemy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/same-boss-same-enemy/): What does a Black climate activist say when interviewed by someone who describes themselves as a “Redneck Gone Green”? Here’s how LNS executive director started his rap... - [Stewards of the Planet](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/stewards-of-the-planet/): My kids are climate justice leaders in our household, always looking for ways of reducing our carbon footprints. They see themselves as stewards of the planet and I am aware that it is crucial for us to alleviate disproportionate energy burdens and reduce exposure to environmental hazards. According to ScienceDirect.com, Black families emit 20% less CO2 than average households but we suffer higher energy costs and poorer health outcomes, making sustainable action a key strategy for health and financial equity. - [Solidarity in Action: Mobilizing Labor & Climate Justice at NYC Climate Week and Beyond](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/solidarity-in-action-mobilizing-labor-climate-justice-at-nyc-climate-week-and-beyond/): LNS invites you to a national webinar on May 5 at 4 PM ET, co-hosted by Taproot Earth and the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC), in partnership with U.S. Climate Action Network, Labor Network for Sustainability, and Just Transition Alliance. - [Transit Equity Rolls On](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-rolls-on/): LNS and our partners were happy to have had a successful Transit Equity Week 2026. We are excited to continue growing our transit equity work and organizing riders and workers everywhere towards a just and sustainable future. - [Hungering for Environmental Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/hungering-for-environmental-justice/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has joined many other organizations around the country to support the campaign to close the county-owned HERC (Hennepin Energy Recovery Center) incinerator in Minneapolis. - [8 Million People—And Labor—Say “NO KINGS”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/8-million-people-and-labor-say-no-kings/): More than 8 million people joined more than 3,300 organized events across the country on March 28 for No Kings Day to protest the Trump administration’s growing authoritarianism, attacks on immigrants, and war in the Middle East. It was the largest single-day protest in American history. - [“Carbon Capture Does Not Belong in the Boot”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/carbon-capture-does-not-belong-in-the-boot/): As a 6th generation Louisianian, I am always in awe when I see different members of my community serving as change agents. In mid-April, I was able to witness the combined organizing power of Earthworks, St. James Rising, Healthy Gulf, Concerned Citizens of St. John, Green Army, Louisiana Against False Solutions, Sierra Club-Delta Chapter, and Lake Maurepas Preservation Society as they challenged a proposed carbon capture project. - [Oregon Labor Prez Lays Out Roadmap to Affordable, Reliable Energy Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/oregon-labor-prez-lays-out-roadmap-to-affordable-reliable-energy-future/): A joint op ed by Graham Trainor, President of the Oregon Labor Federation, and Nora Apter, Oregon director of Climate Solutions, explained why “for the health of our climate, our economy, and our communities, embracing the clean energy transition is the path forward” for Oregon. - [Can Resisting Trumpism Revive the U.S. Labor Movement?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/can-resisting-trumpism-revive-the-u-s-labor-movement/): A recent article titled “Resisting Trumpism Can Revive the U.S. Labor Movement” argues that “The array of attacks on democracy and workers’ rights present an opportunity to expand labor’s power—if unions are willing to seize it.” - [No School, No Work, No Shopping – No Maga Tyranny](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-school-no-work-no-shopping-no-maga-tyranny/): Wondering how actions like No Kings Day, May Day, and the Minneapolis day of No School, No Work, No Shopping can successfully challenge Trump’s emerging tyranny? A recent webinar titled “Mass/General Strikes: Histories, REQUIREMENTS, AND POSSIBILITY IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP TYRANNY” may give you some ideas about the answer. - [LNS’s Joshua Dedmond Helps Explore Data Center Impacts](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lnss-joshua-dedmond-helps-explore-data-center-impacts/): LNS Executive Director Joshua Dedmond was recently featured on a webinar on “Debunking Data Centers: Jobs and Labor.” Panelists also included Vanessa Thomas of Climate Justice Alliance, Michaela Winter of Jobs with Justice, and Oakley Shelton-Thomas of Food and Water Watch. Dedmond says that LNS is still analyzing the data center issue from climate, labor, and justice angles, but emphasizes that it is of critical importance for all three. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-15/): This March was the warmest March in records for the contiguous United States going back 132 years, according to NOAA’s monthly U.S. climate summary issued on April 8. A two-week heat wave broke thousands of daily and monthly heat records at hundreds of locations around the country. - [The Greentech Revolution: Energy Production](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-greentech-revolution-energy-production/): The use of sun, wind, and water rather than fossil fuels to produce energy is transforming economies around the world. How far has that transformation already gone and what is likely to be its future? - [The Greentech Revolution: A New Strike! Series](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-greentech-revolution-a-new-strike-series/): Unexpected breakthroughs are making energy produced from sun, wind, and water cheaper, safer, and more efficient than energy produced from fossil fuels. This is already transforming the way the world produces and uses energy and it will further transform economics, politics, and society. This is the first in a series of Strike! commentaries that explore this “Greentech revolution,” and ask what it will mean for Americans. - [Quelling the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/quelling-the-polycrisis/): Unpredictability is a core feature of the polycrisis. There is much speculation about what will come next in the world order, but there are scant grounds for predicting anything beyond more polycrisis. This commentary offers neither a prediction nor a plan, but a perspective on what might begin laying the basis for quelling the polycrisis. - [April LNS Spotlight: Tyler Norman](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/april-lns-spotlight-tyler-norman/): Tyler Norman is the Education Coordinator at the Just Transition Alliance, and since he joined the team in 2022 he has been updating and expanding JTA’s popular education trainings, as well as cultivating a growing cadre of movement trainers who are working together to inform and empower their labor unions and environmental justice community organizations. - [LNS President Uehlein Tells His Story in New Three Roads Book](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-uehlein-tells-his-story-in-new-three-roads-book/): On June 5, PM Press will publish Three Roads: Labor Music Ecology by Joe Uehlein, founder of the Labor Network for Sustainability. - [Polycrisis 2.0](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/polycrisis-2-0/): A new series of Strike! Commentaries by LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher asks, “whatever happened to the polycrisis?” -- the concatenation of interacting global crises that aggravate each other and make solutions appear impossible. - [Michigan Unions Announce New Coalition to Advance Worker-Centered Clean Energy Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/michigan-unions-announce-new-coalition-to-advance-worker-centered-clean-energy-transition/): The new Michigan Climate Jobs coalition is a group of nine unions across the state coming together to advance worker-led clean energy policy. Their goals are to reduce state emissions, create high-quality jobs, and address economic inequality. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-14/): Climate change is beginning to disrupt every ingredient that goes into beer–America’s favorite alcoholic drink–says a brewer in Oregon. - [UN Climate Chief: “Fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/un-climate-chief-fossil-fuel-dependency-is-ripping-away-national-security-and-sovereignty/): The Iraq war and the resulting disruption of the global supply of fossil fuel energy is leading to doubts around the world about the wisdom of dependence on fossil fuels. - [Iran Bombing Plays Havoc with the Environment – and Health](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/iran-bombing-plays-havoc-with-the-environment-and-health/): A new analysis indicates that the war on Iran has led to five million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in its first 14 days, equal to the emissions of the 84 lowest emitting countries combined. - [Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-3/): Throughout the week of February 2-8, the Labor Network for Sustainability joined partners across the country to celebrate Transit Equity Day under the theme Transit Moves Democracy. Together, workers, riders, unions, and community organizations uplifted public transit as essential climate infrastructure and as a public good worth protecting. - [Dynamics of Polycrisis 2.0](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/dynamics-of-polycrisis-2-0/): The year since Donald Trump’s accession to power has seen an intense augmentation of the global polycrisis. It has also seen a few shifts in its basic dynamics. This commentary reviews fifteen continuing dynamics of the polycrisis and examines how they have changed over the past year. - [Up For Grabs: Polycrisis 2.0](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/up-for-grabs-polycrisis-2-0/): Whatever happened to the “polycrisis”? A couple of years ago it was the buzzword of the world, describing a concatenation of interacting crises that aggravated each other and made solutions appear impossible. In the year since the inauguration of Donald Trump his words and actions have so dominated world events that discussion of the polycrisis has atrophied... - [March 2026 LNS Spotlight: Valerie V. M. Jefferson](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/march-2026-lns-spotlight-valerie-v-v-m-jefferson/): Valerie V.V. M. Jefferson is a dedicated labor and community advocate based in New Orleans. She made history as the first female President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1560 (2019–2022), representing more than 300 transit workers... - [Young Workers March](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-march-2/): Ahead of the annual AFGE Legislative Conference, more than 1,000 workers and students braved frigid temperatures Feb. 7 to participate in the first-ever Young Worker March on Washington, organized by AFGE National Vice President Dr. Kendrick Roberson, AFGE’s, AFGE’s National Y.O.U.N.G. Committee, and AFGE’s Women’s and Fair Practices Department. - [LNS ED on Redneck Gone Green Podcast](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-ed-on-redneck-gone-green-podcast/): Our Executive Director, Joshua Dedmond, was a guest on the Redneck Gone Green podcast with David Cobb! - [Minneapolis vs. ICE](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/minneapolis-vs-ice/): On the ground resistance by the people of Minneapolis to violent armed occupation by ICE has led the Trump administration to announce an end to its violent “surge” of attacks on immigrant workers and withdraw hundreds of its stormtroopers from the city. - [Google Workers Demand: Stop Powering ICE Violence](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/google-workers-demand-stop-powering-ice-violence/): More than 1400 Google workers have petitioned the company to halt its contracts with DHS, CBP, and ICE. - [See It Now: Social Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/see-it-now-social-strikes/): Znetwork has just released a series of seven short videos based on Jeremy Brecher’s LNS report “Social Strikes: Can General Strikes, Mass Strikes, and People Power Uprisings Provide a Last Defense Against MAGA Tyranny?” They include vivid footage of social strikes around the world. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-13/): A new study finds that just 32 fossil fuel companies were responsible for half the global carbon dioxide emissions driving the climate crisis in 2024. - [Making Illinois’ Grid Clean and Affordable](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-illinois-grid-clean-and-affordable/): A new Illinois law, the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, will put workers at the heart of new investments in the clean energy economy, from battery storage construction to training pathways in the new sector, according to the Illinois labor movement. A labor statement said... - [Celebrating Tony Mazzocchi Centennial](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/celebrating-tony-mazzocchi-centennial/): Tony Mazzocchi was a pioneering advocate for labor-environmental cooperation and for protecting workers' health and safety both on the job and in the wider environment. He was the best-known proponent of a "just transition for workers," arguing that society must halt destruction of the climate but must provide a decent living for those who might be harmed in the transition to a climate-safe economy. - [Social Strikes: Confronting ICE and Resisting Authoritarianism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-confronting-ice-and-resisting-authoritarianism-2/): On January 16, shortly after the ICE killing of Renée Nicole Good and just before the "ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom" January 23, I was interviewed by Alexandria Shaner of Znetwork about social strikes and the impending popular shutdown of Minneapolis. - [Ehren Watada: The Duty to Oppose Crimes of State](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/ehren-watada-the-duty-to-oppose-crimes-of-state/): The US attack on Venezuela and its kidnapping of President Madura and his wife has launched the US on a new round of crimes against US law, international law, and the US Constitution. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has started proceedings against military veteran Sen. Mark Kelly for saying military officers have a duty to disobey illegal orders. Asked “who will enforce the law when a government violates it with impunity,” Judge Bernard Victor A. Roling of the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal answered, “The world “has to rely on individuals to oppose the criminal commands of the government.” This is the story of one US military officer who opposed the criminal commands of his government. - [Unions Protest Minnesota ICE Killing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-protest-minnesota-ice-killing/): Many unions across the country have spoken out against the killing of Renee Good by ICE on January 7 in Minneapolis. - [AFL-CIO and Labor around the World Condemn Trump’s Attacks on Venezuela](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/afl-cio-and-labor-around-the-world-condemn-trumps-attacks-on-venezuela/): On January 4, the United States bombed Venezuela and kidnapped its president and first lady, imprisoning them in New York City where they are currently being held. At least 80 civilians and military personnel were killed in the attack. - [Edgar Frank Says Floods and ICE Threaten Farm Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/edgar-frank-says-floods-and-ice-threaten-farm-workers/): Edgar Franks, political director of the independent farmworker union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (Families United for Justice) and a member of the Board of the Labor Network for Sustainability, was recently interviewed by the Seattle Times about the impact of this month’s catastrophic flooding that left historic damage to homes, farmland and communities throughout Western Washington. - [Trump’s EPA Says Save Business, Not Lives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trumps-epa-says-save-business-not-lives/): The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop calculating how much money is saved in healthcare costs avoided and deaths prevented from air pollution rules that curb two deadly pollutants. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-12/): US emissions of carbon dioxide and methane dropped 20% from 2005 to 2024. But in 2025 the United States greenhouse gas pollution increased by 2.4% over the previous year. - [Social Strikes: Confronting ICE and Resisting Authoritarianism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/social-strikes-confronting-ice-and-resisting-authoritarianism/): An in-depth discussion with Jeremy Brecher on the strategy, potential, and challenges of mass social strikes following the Minnesota ICE murder - [February 2026 LNS Spotlight: KD Chavez](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/february-2026-lns-spotlight-kd-chavez/): KD is a revolutionary mother, organizer, and strategist deeply rooted in ancestral knowledge and an unwavering connection to the land. With over a decade of transformative work in social justice philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, they have inspired millions to take action, advancing freedom through cultural shifts and intentional investments. - [Minnesota Social Strike](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/minnesota-social-strike/): On January 23, hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans refused to work, shop, or go to school in a “Day of Truth and Freedom” to demand “ICE out of Minnesota.” - [Transit Equity Week!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-week/): On the week starting Monday February 2th, join LNS for Transit Equity Day 2026: Transit Moves Democracy–a national week of action and storytelling that uplifts workers, riders, and communities fighting for just, accessible, and fully funded public transit. - [Young Workers March](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-march/): On February 7, young workers and supporters will convene in Washington DC to demand young workers be provided the same opportunities as their parents -- and demand an America that works for workers. The march is sponsored by the AFL-CIO and major unions. - [Workers Fight to Save Off-Shore Wind](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-fight-to-save-off-shore-wind/): Three different judges — including one appointed by Reagan and another by Trump — issued orders in January that allow construction to resume on major offshore wind projects off the coasts of New England, New York and Virginia that the Interior Department was trying to idle. - [Teachers Union President Says: “Every clean energy upgrade is a jobs project”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/teachers-union-president-says-every-clean-energy-upgrade-is-a-jobs-project/): In a recent op-ed in the Albany Times-Union, New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person calls for a Carbon Free and Healthy School Bond Act to ensure that “the transition to carbon-free schools and campuses strengthens apprenticeship pathways, supports local economies and creates thousands of good union jobs across the state.” - [Troublemaking in New Orleans](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/troublemaking-in-new-orleans/): New Orleans is the place my family and I call home, so I was able to attend Labor Notes’ New Orleans Troublemakers School in December. The school was hosted at a local union, IATSE Local 478. - [The Climate Crisis Is Giving Americans a 12% Wage Cut](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-climate-crisis-is-giving-americans-a-12-wage-cut/): A new study shows that the climate crisis is actively decreasing US workers’ wages. The study by the National Academy of Sciences journal reports that global heating has slashed US incomes by more than a tenth since 2000 – a severe national economic jolt. - [Food Fight, Anyone?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/food-fight-anyone/): The previous Strike! commentary told the story of America’s largest protest, the 1973 national meat boycott. It demonstrated that ordinary people can organize themselves and act on a massive scale when they are aroused around something that affects them directly – like the price of food. Today, the price of food is again provoking consumer rage. How can it become a target for mass mobilization – and how can that mobilization converge with the movement-based opposition to Trump and MAGA? - [January 2026 LNS Spotlight: Jennifer Krill](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/january-2026-lns-spotlight-jennifer-krill/): Jennifer Krill is the Executive Director of Earthworks, and has been a LNS board member since the organization’s founding in 2010. Her journey in the movement at the intersection of labor and climate began when she was working as a landscape architect and felt the need to reconcile human needs with the natural limits of the environment in our infrastructure. - [The Polycrisis Demands Our Solidarity: A Year-End Clarion Call](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-polycrisis-demands-our-solidarity-a-year-end-clarion-call/): As 2025 draws to a close and we look toward a deeply uncertain future, we at LNS return to a central truth that defines our work: we are living through a massive political crisis simultaneously fueled by the onset of authoritarianism and white supremacist nationalism, while facing pervasive environmental and climate challenges. - [Illinois Labor and Environmentalists Cut Electric Bills, Help the Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/illinois-labor-and-environmentalists-cut-electric-bills-help-the-climate/): Illinois has just passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act to restructure the state’s energy policies. - [Amazon Workers Warn AI Rollout Threatens Jobs and Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amazon-workers-warn-ai-rollout-threatens-jobs-and-climate/): More than 1,000 Amazon employees have signed an open letter expressing “serious concerns” about AI development. It warns that Amaxon’s “all-costs justified, warp speed” approach to the powerful technology will cause damage to “democracy, to our jobs, and to the earth.” - [Liberating the EV Supply Chain](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/liberating-the-ev-supply-chain/): I recently sat down with Jennifer Krill, Executive Director of Earthworks and LNS board member, featured in this issue’s “LNS Spotlight.” Krill discussed a long-term project her team at Earthworks has been working on to improve the labor and environmental conditions of mining communities worldwide, and what we can take away from this work as we look towards the transition to a more sustainable economy. - [A Just Transition for Care Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-just-transition-for-care-workers/): Just Transition and Care: An International Inquiry is a report prepared by an international research team and published November 20 by the UN Research Institute for Social Development. - [Social Strikes vs. MAGA?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/social-strikes-vs-maga/): Jeremy Brecher’s newest report, co-published by the Labor Network for Sustainability and ZNetwork.org, argues that the US is facing an increased authoritarian threat under Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, characterized by executive overreach, suppression of dissent, and the use of state and vigilante violence. - [Food Fight, Anyone?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/food-fight-anyone-2/): In an article published December 14 on Common Dreams, LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher writes, “It’s Time for an All-Out Food Fight With Trump.” - [No Contract, No Coffee!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-contract-no-coffee/): Starbucks workers, or “partners” as they call them, are on strike across the US during the mega-corporation’s most profitable time of the year. - [Statement Opposing the UP-NS Merger](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/statement-opposing-the-up-ns-merger/): The Labor Network for Sustainability stands with Labor and Environmental organizations opposing the Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) Class One railroad merger. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-11/): According to a recent study, Donald Trump’s anti-climate protection agenda of expanding fossil fuels and decimating efforts to reduce emissions can be expected to lead to as many as 1.3 million more temperature-related deaths worldwide. And that increase is just a faction of the estimated 83 million temperature-related deaths that could result from all human-caused emissions over the same period if climate-heating pollution is not curtailed. - [It’s Time for an All-Out Food Fight With Trump](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/its-time-for-an-all-out-food-fight-with-trump/): How can ordinary grocery shoppers organize and become part of the movement that is endeavoring to protect society against Trump’s authoritarian juggernaut? - [No UP-NS Class One Railroad Merger!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-up-ns-class-one-railroad-merger/): The Labor Network for Sustainability stands with Labor and Environmental organizations opposing the Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) Class One railroad merger. - [Lessons from America’s Largest Protest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lessons-from-americas-largest-protest/): Half-a-century ago, tens of millions of households mobilized a nationwide meat boycott to challenge soaring food prices. It was arguably the largest protest in American history. Today, as a majority of Americans stress out over food prices and other signs of an “affordability crisis,” Donald Trump is running scared in the face of consumer rage. This commentary and the next ask how can ordinary grocery shoppers organize -- and become part of the movement that is endeavoring to protect society against Trump’s authoritarian juggernaut? - [Social Strikes: Endgames](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-endgames/): Social strikes represent the withdrawal of cooperation and acquiescence by a whole society, manifested for example in general strikes and mass popular “people power” uprisings. Previous commentaries in this series have examined the historic role of social strikes in overcoming tyranny worldwide; social strikes in the US; using social strikes against MAGA tyranny; how to lay the groundwork for social strikes; social strike timelines and organization; and goals and tactics for conducting social strikes. But how do social strikes succeed? - [Jeremy Brecher's New Report: Social Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/jeremy-brechers-new-report-social-strikes/): Jeremy Brecher's newest report, co-published by the Labor Network for Sustainability and ZNetwork, argues that the US is facing an increased authoritarian threat under Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, characterized by executive overreach, suppression of dissent, and the use of state and vigilante violence. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-8/): Air pollution from oil and gas causes more than 90,000 premature deaths and sickens hundreds of thousands of people across the US annually, with disproportionately high impacts on communities of color. More than 10,000 annual pre-term births are attributable to fine particulate matter from oil and gas. - [A History Lesson: Labor and Environmental Movements Fighting Together](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-history-lesson-labor-and-environmental-movements-fighting-together/): In a time of great unrest and injustice, I sought the opportunity to speak with Charles “Chuck” Levenstein, a longtime labor activist for health and safety in the workplace, prolific author, and retired professor of work environment policy, to hear the organizing perspective of someone who has devoted his life to workers and the labor movement. - [Community-Based Climate Strategies Cut Emissions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/community-based-climate-strategies-cut-emissions/): Redstone Strategy Group has published a report called “Changing the Game: Community-Based Strategies and Climate Mitigation.” - [Taproot Earth’s Collette Battle on Katrina and Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/taproot-earths-collette-battle-on-katrina-and-climate-justice/): NPR podcast Sea Change recently presented a panel featuring Collette Battle, Taproot Earth vision and initiatives partner and a member of the Labor Network for Sustainability board of directors. - [LNS at the Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary: Advancing Just Recovery](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-at-the-hurricane-katrina-20th-anniversary-advancing-just-recovery/): This August, the Labor Network for Sustainability joined Taproot Earth and hundreds of community members, workers, and organizers in New Orleans to mark the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. - [Climate Week Recap](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-week-recap/): Another year, another New York Climate Week. I can’t help but think that there’s a major component missing from this insane week of meetings, talks, networking mixers, and happy hours–LABOR! - [A Movement-Based Strategy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-movement-based-strategy/): LNS has just released the report, “A Movement-Based Opposition to Trump and MAGA,” by LNS co-founder and senior advisor Jeremy Brecher, offering a strategy for the defense of democracy against authoritarian takeover. - [No Kings!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-kings/): Major unions and union locals are supporting the next “No Kings Day” mobilization on October 18. - [Maine AFL-CIO Prez Says “Union Solidarity Can Counteract Authoritarian Attacks”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/maine-afl-cio-prez-says-union-solidarity-can-counteract-authoritarian-attacks/): In a Labor Day op ed in the Bangor Daily News, Maine AFL-CIO President and LNS board member Cynthia Phinney wrote... - [October LNS Spotlight: Monica Atkins](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/october-lns-spotlight-monica-atkins/): Monica Atkins is the coordinator for the upcoming LNS Labor Convergence on Climate. She is an organizer, facilitator, cultural worker, and strategist who magnifies the work of grassroots communities, cultural works, and social justice organizations by building strategies that center community, culture, capital, and creation. - [Social Strikes in American History](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-in-american-history/): What can we do if MAGA authoritarianism so undermines democratic governance that it cannot be successfully challenged by conventional means? In many other countries, tyrannies have been overthrown by nonviolent mass popular uprisings. This commentary scours US history for examples of “social strikes” – mass strikes, general strikes, and other large-scale nonviolent actions – that shed light on the possibilities and difficulties of using such forms of action to challenge Trump’s burgeoning autocracy. - [Social Strikes vs. MAGA Tyranny](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-vs-maga-tyranny/): What if MAGA rule so dismantles the institutions of representative democracy that normal institutional processes are insufficient to overcome tyranny? Around the world, general strikes, “people power” uprisings, and other forms of “social strikes” have overthrown violent, armed dictatorships. What conditions might put social strikes on the agenda in the United States? - [A Movement-Based Opposition to Trump and MAGA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-movement-based-opposition-to-trump-and-maga/): As President Donald Trump launches illegal armed attacks against American cities, peaceful civilians, and people in foreign countries that have not attacked the US, it may look like a sign of strength and a harbinger of a future of total domination... - [New report: Best practices for winning green schools, good jobs in educator union contracts](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-report-best-practices-for-winning-green-schools-good-jobs-in-educator-union-contracts/): Extreme heat and toxic conditions in the classroom harm students’ health and learning. Union educators are organizing for safe, healthy classrooms that enhance student learning as the effects of the climate crisis arrive at our schools, homes, and workplaces... - [Laying the Groundwork for Social Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/laying-the-groundwork-for-social-strikes/): Mass “people power” uprisings, general strikes, and other forms of withdrawal of popular acquiescence in tyranny have established or restored democracy in many countries. As we saw in the previous commentary, while the conditions for such “social strikes” are far from mature in the US at present, a time may come when they are both necessary and possible. How can that eventuality be prepared for? - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-9/): The average level of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere climbed by the largest amount on record between 2023 and 2024, according to the World Meteorological Organization. It was the largest increase since modern measurements began in 1957. Last year was Earth’s hottest year in recorded history. Source: Seattle Times The world’s biggest capital cities are now - [Citing Climate Crisis, NAACP Opposes Massive Alabama Data Center](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/citing-climate-crisis-naacp-opposes-massive-alabama-data-center/): The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, the Metro Birmingham Branch of the NAACP, and the NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice recently wrote the city of Birmingham to oppose the construction of the Logistic Land Investments data center known as Project Marvel. “The impacts of the proposed data center in Bessemer harm the - [New England Unions Fight Trump’s Assault on Offshore Wind](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-england-unions-fight-trumps-assault-on-offshore-wind/): Trump’s large-scale intervention to halt permitted offshore wind projects has been devastating: nine have already been canceled that were previously approved, which would have provided electricity to nearly 5 million homes and created about 9,000 jobs. - [Oil Refinery Workers Fight for Safety](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/oil-refinery-workers-fight-for-safety/): As the number of oil refinery closures added up this spring in California, debates over affordability topped headlines and legislative agendas over the summer. Refinery closures are hitting workers and communities hard as the state transitions away from fossil-fuel dependence--without a comprehensive plan... - [Trump Administration to Cut 1 in 3 EPA staffers in First Year](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trump-administration-to-cut-1-in-3-epa-staffers-in-first-year/): According to the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, 33% of staffers at the Environmental Protection Agency when President Trump took office will be gone by the end of 2025... - [Unions Join the Shutdown Battle](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-join-the-shutdown-battle/): The Federal Unionists Network (FUN) and 35 national, state and local unions have written a letter to the Democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer in the Senate and Hakeem Jeffries in the House, urging them to hold out against Republicans in the budget negotiations, even if it means a continuing government shutdown and halted paychecks... - [Who Will Defend Ordinary Working People Against Trump and MAGA?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-will-defend-ordinary-working-people-against-trump-and-maga/): In an op ed recently published in the Alpine Sun, LA Progressive, Counterpunch, and elsewhere, LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher wrote... - [New LNS Resource: How Union Educators Bargain for Green Schools and Bright Futures](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-lns-resource-how-union-educators-bargain-for-green-schools-and-bright-futures/): Join Labor Network for Sustainability, Building Power Resource, Public Schools Strong, We Build Progress, and Bargaining for the Common Good on November 19 at 3:00 ET / 2:00 CT for a webinar about bargaining for green schools and clean energy. - [Labor and Climate Movements Join for Historic “No Kings” Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-and-climate-movements-join-for-historic-no-kings-day/): In the largest demonstration in American history, an estimated seven million people demonstrated in 2,700 locations October 18 in opposition the Trump and MAGA attacks on workers, on other ordinary Americans, and on democracy itself... - [November LNS Spotlight: John Gehr](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/november-lns-spotlight-john-gehr/): John is an Administrative Analyst for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and an award-winning shop steward in his Local, CWA 1036... - [Social Strikes: Timelines and Organization](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-timelines-and-organization/): The previous Strike! commentary evaluated the conditions necessary for “people power” uprisings or “social strikes” against MAGA authoritarianism and how they might be prepared for. But how could such actions actually be conducted? This commentary considers timelines and organization. The next one discusses goals, tactics, and endgames. - [Social Strikes: Goals and Tactics](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strikes-goals-and-tactics/): Nonviolent popular uprisings have brought down authoritarian regimes in many countries around the world. Conditions for such action do not yet exist in the United States, but the growing wrath of the people against Donald Trump’s authoritarian takeover make such actions increasingly plausible. Conducting such actions will require defining goals, selecting tactics, and bringing the struggle to a successful conclusion. - [December 2025 LNS Spotlight: Nayyirah Shariff](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/december-2025-lns-spotlight-nayyirah-shariff/): Nayyirah Shariff is a dedicated storyteller, fiber artist and grassroots organizer based in Flint, Michigan. They were one of the co-founders of the Flint Democracy Defense League, a grassroots group formed to confront Flint’s emergency manager in 2011... - [A Movement View from Belem](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-movement-view-from-belem/): Amidst fossil fuel lobbyists and an empty chair for the United States government, how does the COP 30 climate summit look to the US climate justice activists who are there? Here are excerpts from a talk in Belem by LNS board member and Taproot Earth partner Colette Pichon Battle:... - [Bargaining for Green Schools, Good Jobs, and Bright Futures](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/bargaining-for-green-schools-good-jobs-and-bright-futures/): Are you a union member interested in adding climate or community priorities to your contract? A clean energy advocate looking to partner with labor? Or curious how educators across the country won green schools in their contracts? We have the perfect resource for you! - [Mamdani Won by Making Climate Policy Work for Working People](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mamdani-won-by-making-climate-policy-work-for-working-people/): Although Zohran Mamdani rarely explicitly mentioned climate change during his campaign for NYC mayor, he undeniably championed a pro-working-class agenda that does not abandon the climate crisis at all. - [Union Leaders, Citing LNS Strategic Advisor, Lay Out Strategy to Stop Trump](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-leaders-citing-lns-strategic-advisor-lay-out-strategy-to-stop-trump/): “To Stop Trump, Unions Need Joint Campaigns and a Shared Vision” – that’s the strategy two union leaders recently proposed for building cooperation among unions and their allies in the face of today’s onslaught against labor... - [Supply Chain Solidarity: Opportunities to Learn and Take Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/supply-chain-solidarity-opportunities-to-learn-and-take-action/): Although we must immediately transition away from a fossil fueled transportation system, how we transition is as important as the need to transition... - [Climate Advocacy Lab's updated Blueprint](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-advocacy-labs-updated-blueprint/): The Climate Advocacy Lab, a movement support organization for the US climate justice movement, has just published the second edition of their Blueprint for a Multiracial, Cross-Class Climate Movement project... - [Where’s the Green Stuff?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/wheres-the-green-stuff/): In the face of attacks on all forms of renewable energy by the Trump administration, how can communities fund their own transitions from fossil fuels to climate-safe renewables? New guides from We Build the Future provide detailed advice on how local governments can use Green Energy Bonds to build “publicly-owned clean energy, good green jobs, and thriving communities.” - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-10/): According to a new report from the leading medical journal The Lancet, rising global heat is now killing one person a minute around the world. The world’s addiction to fossil fuels also causes toxic air pollution, wildfires and the spread of diseases such as dengue fever, and millions each year are dying owing to the failure to tackle global heating. - [LNS Spotlight: Gianna Sansonetti](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-gianna-sansonetti/): We are happy to welcome Gianna Sansonetti as LNS’ new Communications Apprentice! - [Global Heating Harming Workers Globally](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/global-heating-harming-workers-globally/): A recent article in the New York Times was headlined, “Extreme Heat Spurs New Laws Aimed at Protecting Workers Worldwide.” It reported that this summer, Local governments in many areas of Greece, Italy and Spain ordered outdoor work to stop in the afternoons for several weeks. Japan required employers to protect workers from heat stroke risks or - [Principles for Divestment](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/principles-for-divestment/): The Sierra Club has just released “Principles for Financial Institutions on Credible Investments in Climate Solutions,” detailing how investors should support community climate resilience, including investments in green, affordable housing, as part of any comprehensive climate strategy. - [US Court Upholds Employer Freedom to Commit Unfair Labor Practices](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/us-court-upholds-employer-freedom-to-commit-unfair-labor-practices/): In late August, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals stopped the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from hearing unfair labor practice charges against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and ruled that the NLRB’s structure is unconstitutional. - [Military Spending Aggravates Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/military-spending-aggravates-climate-change/): According to a new study by climate scientist Dr. Stuart Parkinson of Scientists for Global Responsibility, each additional $100 billion of military spending adds an estimated 32 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. - [Social Strike for Social Self-Defense: The Last Recourse Against Tyranny](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-strike-for-social-self-defense-the-last-recourse-against-tyranny/): In many countries around the world, mass “people power” revolts have blocked authoritarian takeovers and eliminated dictatorial regimes. This commentary presents four cases from around the world that illustrate the potential power of such “social strikes.” As Trump’s MAGA authoritarianism grows, such actions provide a potential means for reasserting popular democracy. - [Labor Day: This Year, It’s More than a Barbecue](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-day-this-year-its-more-than-a-barbecue/): A coalition of labor organizations and allies will be turning this Labor Day, September 1, into a day of action in more than 1000 locations around the country. - [Commemorating Katrina: A Call to Action for Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/commemorating-katrina-a-call-to-action-for-climate-justice/): I was in Jackson, Mississippi as the people fleeing Katrina poured in from across the Gulf South. I remember that Monday in 2005 like yesterday... - [“Make Billionaires Pay” March September 20](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/make-billionaires-pay-march-september-20/): As world leaders converge on New York City for September’s United Nations General Assembly, thousands of climate and justice protectors will gather in New York and around the country September 20 for the “Make Billionaires Pay” march. - [Young Worker Training Program: Applications Open](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-training-program-applications-open/): The Young Worker Program at LNS is now accepting rolling applications for our free virtual training program on labor/climate organizing. - [“A Labor Movement That Matters”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-labor-movement-that-matters/): Jackson Potter, vice-president of the Chicago Teachers Union, recently wrote an article for Non-Profit Quarterly called “A Labor Movement That Matters: From May Day to Labor Day and Beyond.” - [“Public Rail Now: Rally for Amtrak Campaign](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/public-rail-now-rally-for-amtrak-campaign/): The Labor Network for Sustainability and the Transit Equity Network are proud to partner with our friends at Public Rail Now. They are a leading voice on promoting our national passenger rail system of being 100% publicly owned and operated. - [Organize and Survive: Worker Rights in a Climate Disaster](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/organize-and-survive-worker-rights-in-a-climate-disaster/): A new guide by LNSers Oren Kadosh and Martina Manicastri and EWOC organizer Yana Kalmyka tells “How to Organize with Your Co-Workers in a Natural Disaster.” - [Amazon Climate Claims Unsustainable](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amazon-climate-claims-unsustainable/): The group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice has issued a detailed analysis and critique of Amazon’s most recent “Sustainability Report.” - [Salon Workers vs. Injustice and Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/salon-workers-vs-injustice-and-climate-change/): Our organizing journey at Sugared and Bronzed began two years ago with a realization that if something’s not right, it is a privilege and a responsibility to try and make it better. - [Machinists Tackle Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/machinists-tackle-climate-change/): Last year, the International Association of Machinists issued an historic first: a coast-to-coast inventory of its main job categories and locations in regards to climate change. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-7/): A report on the “State of the Climate in 2024” from the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society released in August finds that “The annual global temperature across land and ocean was the highest recorded in the observational record dating back to 1850.” - [Last UK Power Plant Closes--And Redeploys Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/last-uk-power-plant-closes-and-redeploys-workers/): The last coal power station in the UK is closing. According to Trade Union Congress, This is “a story about unions and an employer working together to ensure no worker is left behind.” - [Mamdani Connects Climate Policy to Affordability Agenda](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mamdani-connects-climate-policy-to-affordability-agenda/): Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, is tying together climate policy with his program to make the city affordable for working people. - [World Court: Nations Must Address Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/world-court-nations-must-address-climate/): In a decision this summer, the International Court of Justice found that polluting countries are now legally obligated to address global warming. - [Make the Fossil Fuel Powers Stranded Assets](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/make-the-fossil-fuel-powers-stranded-assets/): As Donald Trump is trying to stamp out everything that might power the world without fossil fuels, a “Greentech” revolution is making renewable energy and everything designed to run on it not only better for the climate and environment, but also far cheaper. Trump’s energy policies will make the US and other fossil fuel countries and industries into de-valued “stranded assets.” Meanwhile, a global effort to expand Greentech energy and production can save the climate, defeat Trump’s fossil fuel imperialism, and make energy affordable for all. - [Mass Action for Social Self-Defense](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/mass-action-for-social-self-defense/): In the first hundred days of the Trump presidency, opposition in the streets grew from hundreds to millions. The previous Strike! Commentary, “Social Self-Defense Has Begun,” traces the early stages of the resistance to Trump’s MAGA autocracy. This commentary describes two large national days of action, Hands Off! And Mayday, and evaluates the development of the movement so far. - [Social Self-Defense vs. MAGA: A Strategic Assessment](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-self-defense-vs-maga-a-strategic-assessment/): At the end of Trump’s first 100 days, the defense of society against his MAGA juggernaut has begun -- and is gaining strength. But it will need to grow far stronger and find ways to turn Trump’s potential vulnerabilities into effective means to reduce and eventually eliminate his power. - [Social Self-Defense: From Protest to Movement-Based Opposition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-self-defense-from-protest-to-movement-based-opposition/): The previous Strike! Commentary, “Social Self-Defense: A Strategic Assessment,” proposed “social self-defense” as a framework for the burgeoning resistance to the MAGA assault on society. It proposed that the forces resisting MAGA establish themselves as a “movement-based opposition.” This and subsequent commentaries lay out ways to implement that strategy. - [The Movement-Based Opposition in Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-movement-based-opposition-in-action/): The previous Strike! Commentary described how the burgeoning movement to defend society against Trump’s tyranny is developing into a movement-based opposition. This commentary examines how the actions of that opposition can expand to defeat the MAGA juggernaut. - [Social Self-Defense: From Protest to Contest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-self-defense-from-protest-to-contest/): With its aggressive use of the military at home and abroad, the Trump administration appears to be on the offensive. But its aggressions are less an expression of growing power than an attempt to distract from the growth of opposition, the loss of public support, and the splits within its own ranks. The movement-based opposition, represented by the mass nonviolent resistance to ICE in Los Angeles and the five million participants in No Kings Day, is no longer a marginal actor but is now MAGA’s most powerful opponent. How can it utilize that power? - [Movement-Based Opposition: A Successful American Example](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/movement-based-opposition-a-successful-american-example/): Can an alliance of social movements defeat racist legislation and authoritarian takeover? What happened a decade ago in North Carolina provides inspiration for what we need to do in the US today. - [How a Movement-Based Opposition Defeated the First Trump Coup](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/how-a-movement-based-opposition-defeated-the-first-trump-coup/): A little-known alliance of social movements played a key role in blocking Trump’s attempted 2020 coup. As a movement-based opposition to Trump and MAGA emerges today, it can provide inspiration and lessons for resistance to authoritarian takeover today and tomorrow. - [How and Why We Formed LNS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/history/how-and-why-we-formed-lns/): We formed the Labor Network for Sustainability as a vehicle through which we could press for bold climate action in ways that address labor concerns without sacrificing what science is telling us is necessary, and what’s needed to address income inequality and worker power. LNS was founded on the belief that the crises of income inequality and climate change can and must be addressed at the same time, and in so doing we will advance the goals of both movements and offer the best hope for averting climate catastrophe. - [How to Make the Fossil Fuel Powers “Stranded Assets”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-to-make-the-fossil-fuel-powers-stranded-assets/): In a few short years, China has become the world’s dominant producer of “Greentech” technology that reduces or repairs harm to the environment. Chinese technology and industrial infrastructure are cheaper and better in nearly every sector of Greentech. - [Labor Network for Sustainability Co-Executive Directors Elected to Climate Justice Boards](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-network-for-sustainability-co-executive-directors-elected-to-climate-justice-boards/): Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) Executive Directors Liz Ratzloff and Joshua Dedmond have recently been elected to serve on the boards of two important allied coalitions within the climate justice movement. - [ICE Assaulting Workers and Trade Unionists in Los Angeles](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ice-assaulting-workers-and-trade-unionists-in-los-angeles/): On June 6, 2025, during an ICE raid, David Huerta, President of the Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, was injured, arrested, and charged with felony conspiracy to impede an officer. He was released from custody June 9 in the face of rapidly organized protests in more than 20 cities nationwide. California governor Gavin Newsom said, - [Unions and Millions of Participants Join “No Kings Day”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-and-millions-of-participants-join-no-kings-day/): On June 14, No Kings Day actions were held in more than 2000 locations – reputed to be the most widespread one-day protests in US history. A variety of estimates indicate five million participants nationwide, including 100,000 in Philadelphia and 75,000 in Chicago. Pentland, Michigan, population 800, had 400 participants. - [Coming Action Attractions!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/coming-action-attractions/): On July 17th, the fifth anniversary of the passing of civil rights leader and US Representative John Lewis, rallies, community events, press conferences, and candlelight vigils will be held around the country to demand an end to... - [LA Teachers Win Green Healthy Schools and Climate Education](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/la-teachers-win-green-healthy-schools-and-climate-education/): The United Teachers of Los Angeles recently won pioneering climate demands in their contract with the Los Angeles United School District. - [Young Worker Training](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-training/): In early June, LNS participated in the Labor Research and Action Network (LRAN) conference at Rutgers University in New Jersey. - [Worker Rights in Freefall Worldwide](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/worker-rights-in-freefall-worldwide/): A detailed review of worker rights around the world found that worker rights are in “freefall” across every continent. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-6/): Four billion people, about half the world’s population, experienced at least one extra month of extreme heat due to human-caused climate change from May 2024 to May 2025, scientists say. - [Workers Fight for State Heat Rules](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-fight-for-state-heat-rules/): Republicans in Congress are taking aim at efforts to protect workers from extreme heat. The target is a rule proposed by the Biden administration. - [Defending Society Against the MAGA Assault](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/defending-society-against-the-maga-assault/): Wondering what the emerging movement against MAGA and Trump and for democracy and justice can do next? In a recent series of Commentaries, LNS Co-Founder and Senior Strategic Advisor Jeremy Brecher describes the rise of the movement to defend society against the MAGA juggernaut and proposes next steps. - [Bird Flu Threatens Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/bird-flu-threatens-workers/): Since April of 2024, the U.S. has documented an unprecedented 70 known cases of H5N1, or “bird flu,” among dairy and poultry farmworkers. - [British Unions Holding “Year of Climate Action”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/british-unions-holding-year-of-climate-action/): In 2024, Britain’s Trade Union Congress voted to back a Year of Trade Union Climate Action, engaging with community and climate justice groups. Major unions are promoting participation by their members and affiliates. - [Stop the ICE raids. Free David Huerta.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/stop-the-ice-raids-free-david-huerta/): “What happened to me is not about me; This is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.” SEIU United Service Workers West President David Huerta - [June 14: No Kings Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/june-14-no-kings-day/): On June 14, President Donald Trump is planning to spend $45 million in taxpayers’ money for a celebration of his birthday. In response, on that day people all over the country will celebrate NO KINGS DAY, a day of action described by its organizers as “a nationwide day of defiance.” - [Workers Will Not Sit Back While Our Rights Are Stripped Away](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-will-not-sit-back-while-our-rights-are-stripped-away/): More than 1,500 marches, rallies, and protests took place From May 1st through May 3rd in more than 1000 cities and towns in all 50 states. - [Mayday and Beyond in Baltimore](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mayday-and-beyond-in-baltimore/): In mid-March 2025, the radical Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) convened a national meeting of trade unionists, with some community groups representing key issues such as immigrant and racial justice. - [Want to Join LNS Young Worker Training? – Start Here!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-to-join-lns-young-worker-training-start-here/): LNS’s Young Worker Project is excited to announce its Young Worker Training Program, a six-week course aimed at young workers of all industries invested in using their labor power to advance climate and environmental justice! - [School Finance Trainings](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/school-finance-trainings/): On May 7th, LNS partners at the Public School Strong campaign hosted a virtual training on Healthy School Finance. - [LNS Prez Joe Uehlein on Labor and Climate History](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-joe-uehlein-on-labor-and-climate-history/): LNS President Joe Uehlein recently spoke on a panel on Labor and the Environment at the Pacific Northwest Labor History Conference in Portland, Oregon. - [Unions Demand “Free Our Fellow Workers” ](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/25173/): Ten national unions and scores of locals representing more than 3 million members have issued a joint statement demanding “an End to the Assault on the Right to Organize and Protest.” - [CT Unions Fight for Civil Liberties](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/25169/): Unions and their allies are organizing at state and local levels to end the assault on the right to organize and protest. - [Joshua Dedmond Elected to CJA Board](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/25165/): LNS co-director Joshua Dedmond was recently elected to the Board of LNS’ allied organization Climate Justice Alliance. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-5/): The destruction of the world’s forests reached the highest level ever recorded in 2024, driven by a surge in fires caused by global heating. From the Brazilian Amazon to the Siberian taiga, Earth’s forests disappeared at a record rate last year. - [Massive Strike in Panama Features Environmental Demands](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/massive-strike-in-panama-features-environmental-demands/): or three weeks Panama has been on an “indefinite national strike” called by unions of teachers, university students, workers, environmentalists, and peasant and indigenous communities. - [Social Self-Defense Has Begun](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-self-defense-has-begun/): In the first hundred days of the Trump regime, actions against his juggernaut have swelled from small local demonstrations to nationwide days of action with millions of participants, initiating a movement to defend society against the MAGA assault. In order to understand this movement and its possible future, this Strike! Commentary provides a snap history of how the movement started. The next commentary will recount the emergence of larger-scale mass actions like “Hands Off” and “May Day.” Subsequent commentaries will explore how that movement can halt, roll back, and eventually terminate the MAGA attack on society, exploring what we can expect from Trump and his interaction with the world, the role of workers and unions, and the lessons to be drawn from past movements. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-4/): New data from NOAA shows that the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide increased at a record rate in 2024. In recent decades the increase has often been in annual increments of 1 to 2 parts per million. But in 2024 the increase was 3.75 parts per million. - [LNS May 2025 Spotlight: Nicole Cantello](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-may-2025-spotlight-nicole-cantello/): Nicole Cantello is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lawyer, President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Union Local 704, and leader of AFGE Council 238- a nationwide union that represents over 8,000 EPA employees... - [Young Worker Leaders Speak](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-leaders-speak/): The Young Workers Project of the Labor Network for Sustainability has just released its major report Earth Is a Hot Shop. The report is based on a two-year survey of 400 young worker leaders, ages 18-35, from a wide range of industries and locations, followed by 70 in-depth follow-up interviews. - [How Chicago Teachers Won Green Schools and Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-chicago-teachers-won-green-schools-and-climate-justice/): On the eve of Earth Day, LNS and the Chicago Teachers Union held a webinar [link] describing CTU’s unprecedented contract embodying Green Schools and Climate Justice -- and how it was won. The panel featured not only teachers but a parent and a community environmental justice advocate. - [MayDay Mayday Mayday Mayday](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mayday-mayday-mayday-mayday/): A broad coalition largely led by local and some national trade unions is spearheading a day of action on May Day. While much of its focus is on immigrant rights, its call is for a broad opposition to MAGA policies... - [Save social security! Save the VA! Save our environment!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/save-social-security-save-the-va-save-our-environment/): Federal Unionists United – FUN – is conducting a “RIF Resistance Campaign” to prevent reductions in force (RIF) plans from being implemented at federal agencies. The campaign is focused on the Social Security Administration, the VA, and the EPA – three agencies where job cuts are hurting both thousands of workers and millions of people who depend on their services. - [Federal Workers: Need Legal Help?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/federal-workers-need-legal-help/): Unions and civil rights organizations have helped form a new pro bono legal initiative to provide legal help for federal workers who have been fired or otherwise had their basic rights violated on the job. - [Unions Help Lead Massive “Hands Off” Day of Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-help-lead-massive-hands-off-day-of-action/): With only three weeks advance organizing, at least three million people joined more than 1,400 local Hands Off actions at state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, Social Security’s headquarters, parks, and city halls. - [Ten National Unions Say “Stop This Campaign of Terror”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ten-national-unions-say-stop-this-campaign-of-terror/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has joined ten national unions and other labor organizations in a call for solidarity with workers and all those who are being targeted by the Trump administration. Their statement says: "Labor Demands an End to the Assault on the Right to Organize and Protest"... - [UAW Prez Sez: Trump’s Attack on Democracy is an Attack on Unions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uaw-prez-sez-trumps-attack-on-democracy-is-an-attack-on-unions/): In a recent livestream talk to UAW members and the public, UAW president Shawn Fain described the effects of the Trump administration on the working class... - [Transit Is Hanging Over the Fiscal Cliff](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-is-hanging-over-the-fiscal-cliff/): From Philadelphia to Chicago, transit riders are feeling the effects of the impending fiscal cliff which will surely pass on to labor if the federal government does away with federal formula funding. - [Unions Flex Pension Power Muscle](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-flex-pension-power-muscle/): Does your union pension fund have any policies to address climate risk and climate solutions? An LNS webinar on “Pension Power Tools: Accountability and Transparency on Toxic Climate Risk” explained three critical pathways for ensuring accountability and transparency from workers’ pension funds. - [Strategic Guidelines for Social Self-Defense](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/strategic-guidelines-for-social-self-defense/): In a previous Strike! Commentary I proposed a strategic perspective for defending society against MAGA tyranny. It outlined a “Social Self-Defense” based on combining civil resistance in social institutions and the streets with political resistance in the institutions of government. Social Self-Defense cannot be based on a preconceived plan; it will have to be created by the people who make it. We can learn lessons – both positive and negative – from past struggles against autocracy. But we also have to adapt those lessons to the unique conditions we face in the second Trump era. - [CTU Webinar Media Advisory](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ctu-webinar-media-advisory/): April 15, 2025--Labor Network for Sustainability is kicking off “Earth Day to May Day” organizing by hosting a webinar featuring the Chicago Teachers Union. Members of CTU will share how they led a year-long contract campaign where labor and community won on many issues including climate justice and public sector resilience. - [A Strategy for Social Self-Defense](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/a-strategy-for-social-self-defense/): Trump’s MAGA juggernaut has many vulnerabilities. But these will not automatically lead to its downfall. That will require an active struggle to defend society against the MAGA assault -- it will require in short, “social self-defense.” How can MAGA’s vulnerabilities be utilized to defend society, terminate Trump’s rule, and in the meantime limit the damage he can do? - [Earth Day Actions Defend Public Education Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/earth-day-actions-defend-public-education-workers/): LNS is working with unions and allies to promote a cascade of actions from Earth Day to May Day – April 22 to May 1. - [May Day Actions Demand Protection for Immigrants](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/may-day-actions-demand-protection-for-immigrants/): On May 1 a broad coalition led by immigrant advocates will be demanding protection for the rights of immigrants in actions around the country. - [How Chicago Teachers Won on Climate: An Earth Day to May Day Kickoff Event!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-chicago-teachers-won-on-climate-an-earth-day-to-may-day-kickoff-event/): The Chicago Teachers Union, long an advocate for climate protection, has just won language in its new contract spelling out climate and climate justice provisions for students and educators. - [Trump Cancels Union Right to Bargain: Is Your Union Next?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trump-cancels-union-right-to-bargain-is-your-union-next/): Can your employer cancel your union’s right to bargain by issuing a press release? On March 7 the Department of Homeland Security announced plans “ending collective bargaining” for TSA’s transportation screening officers by issuing a press release. - [Government Workers Push Back](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/government-workers-push-back/): Organizing and action by government workers to oppose the Trump-Musk assault on public services is burgeoning. Here are some examples... - [They Want to Strip America for Parts](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/they-want-to-strip-america-for-parts/): America’s two largest unions, the National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union, are among dozens of sponsors of a nationwide mobilization April 5 “to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history.” - [Washington Unions Say: Divest from Fossil Fuels to Protect State’s Assets](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/washington-unions-say-divest-from-fossil-fuels-to-protect-states-assets/): Washington trade unions, including UFCW and AFT, have begun organizing a campaign for the state to divest its pension and other funds from fossil fuels. As Jeff Johnson, a former President of the Washington State Labor Council and a longtime member of the LNS board recently wrote... - [To Protect the Food Chain, Protect Immigrant Farm Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/to-protect-the-food-chain-protect-immigrant-farm-workers/): LNS Board member Edgar Franks is the political director of Familias Unidas por la Justicia, a farmworkers’ union in Skagit County, WA. He was recently interviewed on a Northwest Public Broadcasting feature on “Immigrant enforcement concerns farmers and farmworkers in Washington.” - [The Greenpeace Verdict is a Threat to Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-greenpeace-verdict-is-a-threat-to-labor/): A jury in North Dakota jury recently ordered the environmental nonprofit Greenpeace to pay pipeline corporation Energy Transfer more than $660 million dollars for defamation and other claims connected to protests at the Dakota Access pipeline in 2016-17. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-3/): The just-released report of the World Meteorological Association on the state of the global climate in 2024 found that last year was the hottest on record and that for the first time in history the 10 hottest years on record all occurred in the last decade... - [A Warning from Environmental Protection Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-warning-from-environmental-protection-workers/): A group of current and former employees of the US Environmental Protection Agency recently issued this warning... - [Are Climate and Infrastructure Funds Under Threat Near You?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/are-climate-and-infrastructure-funds-under-threat-near-you/): Nearly $700 billion in funding for infrastructure- and climate-related projects were passed under the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law. - [What Really Happened in the First Trump Resistance?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/what-really-happened-in-the-first-trump-resistance/): As we grapple with how to live through and ultimately terminate the nightmare of the second Trump regime, we can gain a lot from examining the myths and the realities of the resistance to the first Trump regime. - [The Four Expectable Axes of MAGA Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-four-expectable-axes-of-maga-action/): The previous Commentary in this series laid out the unknowns – known and unknown -- that will characterize the Trump presidency. But amidst the uncertainty, the main thrusts of the Trump regime are increasingly clear. - [LNS Spotlight: Rich Kowalczyk](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-rich-kowalczyk/): Richard (Rich) Kowalczyk was voted to be the first president of AFSCME Local 3599 when it was started in 2018 and continues to serve in that capacity. Rich had also been active as an executive board member at the chapter level for many years prior to Local 3599 being started. - [LNS Joins AFGE to Fight for Climate Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-joins-afge-to-fight-for-climate-workers/): On February 14, more than 360 government employees and their supporters joined an on-line meeting organized by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, which represents workers in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Labor Network for Sustainability. - [A Call to Action: Protect the Workers Who Are Protecting Our Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-call-to-action-protect-the-workers-who-are-protecting-our-climate/): Government workers are on the move to fight the MAGA assault on public services and public workers. They need and deserve the support of the entire labor movement and of the public they serve. - [A Government Environmental Protector Speaks Out](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-government-environmental-protector-speaks-out/): As a public servant, I am a member of AFSCME Local 3599, the Upstate Environmental Protection Technical and Professional Employees, part of District Council 37 of New York City. Our local’s highly technical and professional members ensure approximately ten million people receive high quality drinking water. - [Public Sector Unions Fight for Climate Protection](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/public-sector-unions-fight-for-climate-protection/): Not only are government unions protectors of the environment, they have also been strong advocates for climate-friendly policies. - [A Lesson from History: "Imagine the Power of Working People Standing Together"](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-lesson-from-history-imagine-the-power-of-working-people-standing-together/): In 2019, government workers and their supporters forced an end to President Trump’s shutdown of the government and used the threat of a general strike to keep the government open. - [Workers and Riders Align for LNS' Transit Equity Day 2025](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-and-riders-align-for-lns-transit-equity-day-2025/): Our annual Transit Equity Day featured people from around the country taking action for better, more reliable, and more equitable transit. Our livestream for the event also showcased many little-known local transit justice initiatives. - [How to Take Transportation in the Right Direction](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-to-take-transportation-in-the-right-direction/): A diversified transportation system will not only reduce emissions faster, provide more mobility for more people, and lessen the burden of mineral extraction for batteries–but also stimulate millions of new, dignified jobs across the supply chain. - [In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard-2/): January 2025 was the warmest January on record, with average global temperatures of 3.13 degrees Fahrenheit (1.74 degrees Celsius) – significantly above the target set by the Paris Climate Agreement. - [A People-Powered Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-people-powered-green-new-deal/): Jeremy Brecher’s new book The Green New Deal from Below is hitting the media. Watch a Rutgers LEARN webinar about the book. - [Essential Workers Hit by Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/essential-workers-hit-by-climate-change/): A new article by Loyola University professor Urooj Raja says that “essential workers” are “bearing the brunt of climate change.” - [The Trump Onslaught: What We Must Prepare For](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-trump-onslaught-what-we-must-prepare-for/): Donald Trump and his entourage are so confused, conflicted, and detached from reality that it is difficult to anticipate what they will actually attempt and how much they will be able to carry their intentions through. We know their intentions include eliminating all barriers to their power; scapegoating of stigmatized groups; redistribution of wealth and income upward; and a war on the world to impose US domination and environmental destruction. Their efforts to realize these objectives will result in enormous destruction. Those efforts are also likely to result in a substantial pushback that could either overcome the MAGA project or simply fade away in the face of repression and despair. - [What Is Social Self-Defense?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/what-is-social-self-defense/): Can a Trump tyranny be impeded, rolled back, and eliminated? Or are we on the road to a long-lasting autocracy as many in the MAGA movement intend? The answer hangs in the balance. This is the first of a series of Strike! Commentaries on social self-defense against the MAGA juggernaut. - [Building a Society Where the Work We Do Nourishes and Protects Our Planet and All Who Live on It](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/building-a-society-where-the-work-we-do-nourishes-and-protects-our-planet-and-all-who-live-on-it/): The Labor Network for Sustainability mourns the catastrophic loss of life and homes in California. - [Workers Rally to Protect California Communities](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-rally-to-protect-california-communities/): Mass mutual aid operations, demands for disaster preparedness, and calls for climate readiness are just a few examples of the working class responding to the climate catastrophe brought by the extreme Santa Ana windstorm and devastating wildfires on January 7th in Los Angeles. - [Ways to Help Workers and Communities Affected by the LA Fires](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ways-to-help-workers-and-communities-affected-by-the-la-fires/): Unions such as the Los Angeles Federation of Labor and the California Teachers Association are providing resources to impacted communities. We applaud UTLA’s leadership in the unified response from united unions in the LA Unified School District to protect children and their families during this ongoing tragedy. - [LNS Spotlight: Martina Manicastri](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-martina-manicastri/): Each issue of Making a Living on a Living Planet we feature a member of the LNS network. This time it's LNS’ new Young Worker Organizer Martina Manicastri. - [The Los Angeles Fires Are the New Face of Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-los-angeles-fires-are-the-new-face-of-climate-change/): According to a statement on the Los Angeles fires by the Labor Network for Sustainability, “The fires are not a natural disaster.” - [Social Self-Defense for the New MAGA Era](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/social-self-defense-for-the-new-maga-era/): The Labor Network for Sustainability issued a report January 1st titled Defending Society Against MAGA Tyranny: A Prospectus for Action. The report, authored by labor historian and LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher, says... - [Traveling for Labor and Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/traveling-for-labor-and-climate-justice/): This past December, I had the privilege of traveling to four incredible cities across the globe to discuss how we can build the power necessary to challenge the fossil fuel industry, strengthen worker power, and protect our planet. Each stop underscored the urgency of our mission and the shared struggles we face in this fight. - [AFL-CIO Says, “Working people know that our fellow workers aren’t the problem—the real threat is billionaires”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/afl-cio-says-working-people-know-that-our-fellow-workers-arent-the-problem-the-real-threat-is-billionaires/): The day after newly inaugurated President Donald Trump signed executive orders promoting mass deportations and the rolling back of immigrants’ rights, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued a statement that said in part... - [Unions Mobilize to Protect Immigrant Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-mobilize-to-protect-immigrant-workers/): Many unions and labor councils have been creating emergency response programs and trainings to counter imminent immigrant raids. - [In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-case-you-havent-heard/): A new report from risk management experts at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries finds that the global economy could face 50% loss in gross domestic product (GDP) between 2070 and 2090 from the catastrophic shocks of climate change unless immediate action by political leaders is taken to decarbonize and restore nature. - [Snowflakes That Start an Avalanche](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/snowflakes-that-start-an-avalanche/): A review by Anjali Vaidya of The Green New Deal from Below by LNS newsletter editor Jeremy Brecher was just published in the Los Angeles Review of Books. Vaidaya writes in part... - [A “Constructive Program” for Social Self-Defense Against MAGA Tyranny](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/a-constructive-program-for-social-self-defense-against-maga-tyranny/): A future shaped by Donald Trump, MAGA, and Project 2025 is a threat not just to one or another group, but to our society as a whole – to the things that make our lives together something other than nasty, brutish, and short. To resist and eventually overcome such forces, we need to create bastions of what the Polish activists who overthrew their country’s authoritarian regime in 1989 called “social self-defense.” That will involve many methods, including mutual aid, on-the-ground protection of those under attack, combating lies and slanders, protests, electoral strategies, direct action, and many others. Constructive programs carried out from below can be a crucial part of that struggle. - [The Labor Network for Sustainability mourns the catastrophic loss of life and homes in California.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-labor-network-for-sustainability-mourns-the-catastrophic-loss-of-life-and-homes-in-california/): Unions such as The Los Angeles Federation of Labor and The California Teachers Association are providing resources to impacted communities. We applaud UTLA's leadership in the unified response from united unions in the LA Unified School District to protect children and their families during this ongoing tragedy. - [Inequality and the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/inequality-and-the-polycrisis/): Notwithstanding its many downsides, the era of neoliberal globalization had one significant claim to success: the growing wealth of once-poor countries, based largely on their ability to export into the global market. The era of polycrisis appears to be reversing that dynamic. The presidency of Donald Trump is likely to further aggravate global inequality and poverty. - [LNS Spotlight: Mijin Cha](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-mijin-cha/): Mijin Cha is a co-author of the Labor Network for Sustainability Report “Workers and Communities in Transition: Report of the Just Transition Listening Project” a leading writer on just transition to a climate-safe economy, and an active member of the LNS network. - [Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-2/): It’s that time of the year again - Transit Equity Day 2025! This time public transportation is at a dire turning point. With federal transit funding on the line by our now Republican-controlled government, states may be on their own to decide the fate of systems locally or otherwise. - [Farmworkers Resisting MAGA Attacks on Immigrant Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/farmworkers-resisting-maga-attacks-on-immigrant-workers/): A recent article describing how farmworkers are resisting attacks on immigrant workers features LNS board member Edgar Franks, the political director of Familias Unidas por la Justicia in Washington State, an independent union of primarily Indigenous Mexican farmworkers. - [Louisiana Rises for Climate and Environmental Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/louisiana-rises-for-climate-and-environmental-justice/): On November 22, environmental justice organizations from 16 Louisiana parishes rallied at the Louisiana state capitol to urge Governor Landry and Louisiana’s leaders to take immediate steps toward a Just Transition, including cutting emissions, reducing pollution, investing in clean energy jobs, strengthening protections for communities along “Cancer Alley,” and creating pathways for Louisianans to thrive in a green economy. - [Amazon Workers Fight for Climate Protection](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amazon-workers-fight-for-climate-protection/): Some of the most exciting organizing in the country is happening at Amazon warehouses, airhubs, and delivery depots around the country. From New York to California, to Kentucky, Georgia, and Illinois, courageous and fed up Amazon workers are engaged in a mass public escalation of their union campaigns with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters that in some cases have been several years in the making. - [Green New Deal from Below "Expands the Possible"](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-from-below-expands-the-possible/): Z Magazine recently published a review by Alexandria Shaner of The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy by LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven't Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-10/): This year is certain to be the hottest on record, the first that will cross the critical threshold of 1.5C above the pre-industrial era. Climate scientists believe that crossing that threshold will lead to far worse consequences from climate change. - [Trump Climate Policies to Cut U.S. Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trump-climate-policies-to-cut-u-s-jobs/): A new report from the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab at Johns Hopkins University finds that president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed cuts in climate policies will lead to “lost factories, lost jobs, lost tax revenue,” and “lost exports.” - [Champions: W.E.B. Du Bois](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-w-e-b-du-bois/): W.E.B. Du Bois, born in 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts was a sociologist, historian, author, editor, and activist whom the Encyclopedia Brittanica called “The most important Black protest leader in the United States during the first half of the 20th century.” He shared in the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and edited its magazine The Crisis from 1910 to 1934. - [Trump, Trumpism, and the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/trump-trumpism-and-the-polycrisis/): “Polycrisis” is a word that has recently come into use to characterize the way crises in many different spheres – ranging from geopolitics and economics to climate and pandemic – are aggravating each other and even converging. Trump and Trumpism, like similar leaders and movements around the world, took off in the era of polycrisis and reflect many of its themes. They are also likely to severely aggravate the dynamics of the polycrisis. - [Climate Underground Rising](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-underground-rising/): By LNS Co-Director Liz Ratzloff I recently attended the Climate Underground conference hosted by chef Alice Waters and former Vice President Al Gore at his farm in Carthage, Tennessee. The Climate Reality Project’s conference convened farmers, scientists, chefs, non-profit staff, and others to talk about how regenerative farming practices can decrease emissions in the agricultural sector and help create more resilient farms that can better withstand the severe storms brought about by global warming. - [Massachusetts Announces Fare-Free Transit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/massachusetts-announces-fare-free-transit/): The state of Massachusetts has announced grants to 13 Regional Transit Authorities to provide year-round, fare free public transportation services. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-9/): The World Meteorological Organization reported that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is accumulating faster than at any time in human history, with concentrations rising more than 10% in just two decades. It hit record levels in 2023 -- 51% greater than before the Industrial Revolution, when people began to burn large amounts of coal, oil and fossil gas. - [Climate Wins Amidst Electoral Gloom](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-wins-amidst-electoral-gloom/): According to a roundup in Inside Climate News, at least five of six climate change ballot measures were passed in the recent elections. - [Supply Chain Solidarity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/supply-chain-solidarity/): By LNS Network Organizer Oren Kadosh Nevada is “ground zero” for U.S. lithium extraction. Last month, LNS helped organize workers and activists on a tour through Nevada to observe proposed lithium mining sites and hear from Tribal, Indigenous, and frontline community members who are fighting back against the accelerating pace of mining that is threatening to turn critical ecosystems and sacred lands into profit-making sacrifice zones. - [50,000 Plan for the Trump Resistance](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/50000-plan-for-the-trump-resistance/): On the day after the elections, 50,000 people joined a four-hour on-line event to plan how to respond. Sponsored by more than 200 organizations, the call heard from leaders of dozens of progressive groups, including the presidents of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the National Education Association (NEA), as well as members of Congress. More than 100 communities were organized on the spot. - [Green New Deal from Below – Launched!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-from-below-launched/): On November 20 LNS launched The Green New Deal from Below by its co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher. - [LNS Statement on the Elections: “Our Next Steps Together ...”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-statement-on-the-elections-our-next-steps-together/): In response to the results of the elections, LNS issued the statement “Our Next Steps Together . . .” It said in part... - [LNS Spotlight: Jeff Johnson](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-jeff-johnson/): Jeff Johnson is the retiring chair of the LNS board. He has been a board member since 2018 and will continue in that role. - [LNS Board Member Jennifer Krill: “We Cannot Afford to Lose Momentum”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-board-member-jennifer-krill-we-cannot-afford-to-lose-momentum/): Jennifer Krill, Executive Director of Earthworks and a member of the LNS board issued this statement in response to Donald Trump’s re-election... - [LNS board member April Sims says: “Hope Is a Radical Act of Resistance”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-board-member-april-sims-says-hope-is-a-radical-act-of-resistance/): Excerpts from statement by President April Sims and Secretary Treasurer Cherika Carter, Washington State Labor Council on the 2024 election... - [Macroeconomics Meets the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/macroeconomics-meets-the-polycrisis/): The convergence of crises now often referred to as “the polycrisis” was heralded by the global economic crisis known as the Great Recession. Since then neither national nor global institutions have proven able to control the destructive gyrations of the global economy. - [Our Next Steps Together...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/our-next-steps-together/): We as a nation awoke to the confirmation that Donald Trump will be serving a second term as president. For those of us who strive for climate justice and worker empowerment, this reality is an incredible setback. Trump’s approach to the environment, which the Republican Party as a whole has adopted, would roll back regulations, expand oil and gas production and curtail the federal government’s regulatory powers. - [Great Power Struggle Over Fragmented Global Networks](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/great-power-struggle-over-fragmented-global-networks/): The global convergence of crises that has been dubbed the “polycrisis” has emerged in tandem with the decline of globalization. But what is replacing globalization is less a new system than a chaotic scramble. This is one of a series of Strike! Commentaries on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal.” - [Letter from the Editor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/letter-from-the-editor/): Workers organize to protect themselves from inadequate pay, overwork, insecurity, and threats to their health and safety. And now there is another threat to workers’ wellbeing: climate change. And workers are organizing to fight it. - [Hurricanes Fed by Global Warming Ravage Workers and Communities](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/hurricanes-fed-by-global-warming-ravage-workers-and-communities/): Back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton have devastated much of Appalachia and the South. In a statement following Hurricane Helene, the Labor Network for Sustainability called it “A Wake-up Call for Social Justice.” It said these tragedies of death and destruction “are not natural.” - [How Climate Change Threatens Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-climate-change-threatens-workers/): A recent article in the workplace safety newsletter Confined Space analyzes recent deaths at Impact Plastics to show why workers are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The author is Jordan Barab, who was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor from 2009 to 2017 and previously worked for AFSCME and the AFL-CIO. - [Join “the Green New Deal from Below” book launch](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-the-green-new-deal-from-below-book-launch/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is pleased to announce the publication of The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-safe Economy by LNS Co-Founder Jeremy Brecher. - [If California Politicians Won’t Support Climate Projects, Can the People Make Them Do It Anyway?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/if-california-politicians-wont-support-climate-projects-can-the-people-make-them-do-it-anyway/): On election day, in addition to selecting their choice for President of the United States, California voters will decide whether or not to fund climate projects. Measure 4 is a $10 billion bond to spend on clean drinking water, protections from floods, droughts and extreme heat, ocean protections, parks, and clean energy projects, among other initiatives. It prioritizes low-income communities and those living on the frontlines of climate change impacts. - [Heat Kills; Heat Standards Will Save Workers’ Lives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/heat-kills-heat-standards-will-save-workers-lives/): Heat can be deadly for workers whether they are working outdoors or indoors. According to National Council for Safety and Health, COSH, “​​Extreme heat causes as many as 2,000 worker fatalities in the U.S. each year, and up to 170,000 workers are injured in heat stress-related accidents annually.” - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-8/): The “2024 State of the Climate Report” just issued by a team of climate scientists finds that “We are on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster.” This is “a global emergency” in which “much of the very fabric of life on Earth is imperiled.” - [New York State Bill to Put Solar on Public Buildings](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-york-state-bill-to-put-solar-on-public-buildings/): A recent law passed by the New York City Council with a supermajority of votes will put unionized workers to work installing solar panels on city buildings. - [Solar Jobs Market Heating Up](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/solar-jobs-market-heating-up/): The recently released 2023 Solar Jobs Census published by the independent nonprofit organization Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), found that full-time jobs in the US solar industry grew nearly 6% in 2023. - [Big Businesses Promoting Union Busting, Climate Destruction](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/big-businesses-promoting-union-busting-climate-destruction/): A report by the global labor federation the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) finds that the large corporations Amazon, Tesla, Meta, ExxonMobil, Blackstone, Vanguard, and Glencore are undermining democracy across the world by financially backing far-right political movements, funding and exacerbating the climate crisis, and violating trade union rights and human rights. The ITUC represents 191milllion workers in 169 nations. - [Southern California Refinery to Close](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/southern-california-refinery-to-close/): On October 16th, news broke that Phillips 66 will shut down its Los Angeles refinery in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company gave notice of plans to close the refinery that has roughly 600 employees and a few hundred more contractors in two facilities linked by pipeline located five miles apart in Carson and Wilmington, California. - [Jeremy Brecher and Labor Network for Sustainability Announce New Book](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/jeremy-brecher-and-labor-network-for-sustainability-announce-new-book/): Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy Historian, documentary filmmaker, activist, and author Jeremy Brecher is launching his latest book, The Green New Deal from Below: How Ordinary People Are Building a Just and Climate-Safe Economy. The Green New Deal – a visionary program to protect the - [What Ever Happened to Globalization?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/what-ever-happened-to-globalization/): Globalization has been the hallmark of the economic world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Since the Great Recession of 2008, however, globalization as we knew it has been changing fast. That change is an important part of what is being called the “polycrisis,” the convergence and mutual aggravation of geopolitical, economic, governance, climate, and other crises. This commentary examines the rise and fall of globalization as we knew it. The next commentary explores what is emerging from it. Both are part of a series on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal.” - [BEYOND A BAND-AID](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/beyond-a-band-aid/): A Discussion Paper on Protecting Workers and Communities in the Great Energy Transition By Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D This discussion paper presents a strategy for protecting workers and communities that may be threatened by the current and future transformation of the U.S. energy system. It is derived from the... - [Hurricane Helene: A Wakeup Call for Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/hurricane-helene-a-wakeup-call-for-climate-justice/): The tragedies of death and destruction unfolding in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina are not natural. Global ­warming and the climate crisis are making the rapid intensification of storms more deadly and more frequent. NBC reported two studies released earlier this week found that human-caused global warming made Hurricane Helene stronger and - [LNS Spotlight: Kevin Young](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-kevin-young/): Kevin Young teaches history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is a vice president of the faculty-library union. - [Stand with Postal Workers on Oct. 1](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/stand-with-postal-workers-on-oct-1/): On October 1, American Postal Workers Union (APWU) members are rallying across the country to demand better staffing, better services, and that postal workers and the public have a say in how this vital public service serves us. - [Big Climate Win at the Machinists’ Union](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/big-climate-win-at-the-machinists-union/): A recent headline from the Machinists union proclaims “IAM Takes Bold Steps in Addressing Climate Crisis and Embracing Green Technologies.” - [LNS Prez says: Expand Labor Solidarity to Human Solidarity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-says-expand-labor-solidarity-to-human-solidarity/): LNS President Joe Uehlein has just published an article in the environmental publication Earth Island Journal titled “Pitfalls & Possibilities: The US labor movement needs to expand worker solidarity to human solidarity.” - [Workers’ Pension Power](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-pension-power/): Labor Network for Sustainability recently brought together members of the AFT and NEA from the Educators Climate Action Network (ECAN) along with members of AFSCME for a workshop training on Pension Power. - [How to Win the Climate War](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-to-win-the-climate-war/): Kevin Young, labor-climate activist featured in this issue's “Spotlight” above, has recently published Abolishing Fossil Fuels: Lessons from Movements that Won. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-7/): The summer of 2024 had the hottest global temperature on record, putting the earth on course for the hottest year in human history. - [Climate Jobs Are Here](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-jobs-are-here/): The first full year of the Inflation Reduction Act created nearly 150,000 clean energy jobs according to a new report by nonpartisan business group E2. - [Solar Manufacturer Pledges to Respect Worker Rights](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/solar-manufacturer-pledges-to-respect-worker-rights/): The United Steelworkers Union (USW) recently announced an agreement with Convalt Energy mutually pledging to prioritize workers’ rights as together they work to bring solar energy manufacturing back to the United States. - [Protecting the DC Circulator](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/protecting-the-dc-circulator/): The mayor’s office of Washington DC is cutting a vital service to the riders, visitors, and especially workers of the region- the red yellow colored downtown buses known as the DC Circulator. - [Is UPS Meeting Its Heat Commitments?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/is-ups-meeting-its-heat-commitments/): Members of Teamsters Local 657, which represents workers at 22 UPS facilities in Texas, rallied August 28 to demand the company move faster on the union contract it signed with the Teamsters last year. - [Champions: Lois Gibbs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-lois-gibbs/): "Champions” features current and historic figures who can inspire the struggle for a worker- and climate- safe world. - [Will Polycentrism Solve the Polycrisis?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/will-polycentrism-solve-the-polycrisis/): Unilateral US dominance is increasingly challenged in the era of overlapping crises that is now often being referred to as “the polycrisis.” This has led many countries to advocate for what they call “polycentrism,” a world order in which no single country is dominant. But simply having a larger number of elites plundering their own and other countries is unlikely to provide a solution to the polycrisis. That requires that countries pursue not only interests of their own elites, but the common global interest that has been so rubbished in the unipolar era. - [US vs. China](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/us-vs-china/): In barely a decade the US and China have moved from tacit alignment to existential rivalry. Impacted by and impacting the other dynamics of the convergence of crises that compose the “polycrisis,” the US and China are openly preparing for war – a war that could all too easily escalate into World War III. This is the sixth of a series of Strike! commentaries on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal.” - [LNS Spotlight: José T. Bravo](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-jose-t-bravo/): José T. Bravo is a veteran environmental justice organizer and executive director of the Just Transition Alliance where for more than 25 years, he has led a coalition of environmental justice and labor organizations to work with frontline workers and fenceline community members who live next to polluting industries in creating healthy workplaces and communities. - [AFT Convention Says Implement Our Union's "Decarbonization" Policies](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/aft-convention-says-implement-our-unions-decarbonization-policies/): Many unions have passed resolutions on climate change, but you may wonder how to make them more than “feel good” statements that have no effect on the struggle to protect the climate. The convention of the American Federation of Teachers just passed an action agenda, promoted by its Climate and Environmental Justice Caucus, to implement the strong climate resolutions the union has passed in the past. - [Join Philly Rally September 7 to “Save Our Chinatown”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-philly-rally-september-7-to-save-our-chinatown/): The public is invited to join young organizers and Asian Americans United for a solidarity rally on Sep. 7, 2024 at Noon EST at Philadelphia City Hall to protect Chinatown against unwelcome development. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-6/): According to NASA, on July 22, 2024, the earth experienced the hottest day in recorded history. - [Protecting the Most Vulnerable from Extreme Heat](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/protecting-the-most-vulnerable-from-extreme-heat/): A recent article “Rising danger: Urgency grows for Washington to protect the most vulnerable from extreme heat features” features an interview with LNS Board Member Edgar Franks. Franks is political director of Familias Unidas por la Justicia, a union that represents hundreds of Indigenous Mexican migrant farmworkers in Skagit County, WA. - [Heat Week](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/heat-week/): In late August airport, fast food, retail, and farm workers in 13 cities from Atlanta to Los Angeles joined to demand on-the-job heat protections from employers and the federal government. Dubbed “Heat Week,” their action included rallies, town halls, and delegations. They called for immediate action from employers to ensure their safety in the workplace, including adequate breaks and access to drinking water during periods of extreme heat. - [LNS President Says: Protect Dissent](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-says-protect-dissent-2/): Sometimes, the most civil act is to be disobedient. We are living in those times now. Non-Violent Civil Disobedience (NVCD) is central to our country and retaining our freedoms, and to our movements to reverse global warming, restore a livable future, and build a better world. - [Washington State Labor Council President Tells How We Beat Fascism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/washington-state-labor-council-president-tells-how-we-beat-fascism/): Excerpts from address by LNS board member April Sims, President, Washington State Labor Council to the Council’s August Convention in Wenatchee WA. - [LNS Prez Joe Uehlein Visits Red Square (In New London, That Is)](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-joe-uehlein-visits-red-square-in-new-london-that-is-2/): On a summer drive our family stopped at Red Square in New London, CT to visit with internationally acclaimed muralist Mike Alewitz. - [Champions: Issac Meyer](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-issac-meyer/): Isaac Myers, was born in 1835, was a pioneering Black trade unionist, a cooperative organizer, and a caulker. Since the state of Maryland did not offer public education for Black youth, Myers had to acquire his early education from a private day school run by Rev. John Fortie. At 16, he began work as a caulker, sealing seams in ships. - [LNS President Says: Protect Dissent](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-says-protect-dissent/): Sometimes, the most civil act is to be disobedient. We are living in those times now. Non-Violent Civil Disobedience (NVCD) is central to our country and retaining our freedoms, and to our movements to reverse global warming, restore a livable future, and build a better world. - [LNS Prez Joe Uehlein Visits Red Square (In New London, That Is)](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-joe-uehlein-visits-red-square-in-new-london-that-is/): On a summer drive our family stopped at Red Square in New London, CT to visit with internationally acclaimed muralist Mike Alewitz. We toured his Red Square labor art museum. In the photo is (L-R): Joe Uehlein, Anna Grace Uehlein, Mike Alewitz, Lane Windham. We are standing in front of his mural of Joe Hill. - [The Gaza War: The Glory of the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-gaza-war-the-glory-of-the-polycrisis/): This commentary, the fifth in a series on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal,” takes the war that began in Gaza and is spreading throughout the Middle East as a laboratory for dissecting the dynamics of the concatenation of crises now being referred to as the “polycrisis.” - [From Unipolar Globalization to Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/from-unipolar-globalization-to-polycrisis/): How, in a few short years, did we get from a world order dominated by the United States and characterized by economic globalization to one of great power rivalry and global economic fragmentation? This commentary, the fourth in a series on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal,” sketches that transformation. - [Job Posting - LNS Communications Director](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/job-posting-lns-communications-director/): The Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is a dynamic organization looking for a full time Communications Director who is invested in building a powerful labor climate movement to secure an ecologically sustainable and economically just future where everyone can make a living on a living planet. The ideal candidate has experience developing the communication strategy - [The New Hot Wars](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-new-hot-wars/): “Polycrisis” is a word being used to describe the current confluence of military, geopolitical, economic, political, climate, and other crises. This series of commentaries on “The Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal,” probes the dynamics of the polycrisis and what alternatives there might be to its race to destruction. This commentary, the third in the series, examines the stunning expansion of armed conflict in the polycrisis era. - [Dynamics of the Polycrisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/dynamics-of-the-polycrisis/): “Polycrisis” is a word that has recently come into use to characterize the way crises in many different spheres – ranging from geopolitics and economics to climate and pandemic – are aggravating each other and even converging. - [LNS Spotlight: Jack Zhou](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-jack-zhou/): Jack Zhou works as a social scientist at the Climate Advocacy Lab, an organization that provides training, research support, and connections to climate, clean energy, and climate justice organizers across the US. - [Chicago Teachers Union Demands Climate Contract](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/chicago-teachers-union-demands-climate-contract/): As the Chicago Teachers Union opened contract negotiations with the city this June its “Green Schools Initiative” was a central demand. - [Labor and Allies Demand FEMA Address Climate Emergency](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-and-allies-demand-fema-address-climate-emergency/): More than 30 labor, environmental, and health groups are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to unlock crucial disaster relief funding for extreme heat and wildfire smoke, neither of which are recognized by FEMA as major disasters. - [Climate Justice at Work](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-justice-at-work/): The Labor Network for Sustainability recently co-sponsored a webinar on “Climate Justice at Work” with the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee. - [Black Lives and Clean Energy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/black-lives-and-clean-energy/): Cobalt is essential for electric vehicle batteries, and much of that cobalt comes from the Congo. - [Green Workers’ Stories](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-workers-stories/): The Green Workers Alliance is an organization of more than 1,500 renewable energy workers across the country. - [Building a Mass Movement by Tackling Race and Class Divides](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/building-a-mass-movement-by-tackling-race-and-class-divides/): The Climate Advocacy Lab recently released a Blueprint for a Multiracial, Cross-Class Movement. - [When Driving Is Not An Option](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/when-driving-is-not-an-option/): Hear author and disability advocate Anna Zivarts discuss her new book, When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. - [War's Impact on Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/wars-impact-on-climate/): According to a just-released study, the climate cost of the first two years of Russia-Ukraine war was greater than the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated individually by 175 countries, including the Netherlands, Venezuela, and Kuwait. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-5/): According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the current rate of increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is ten times faster than at any point in the last 50,000 years. - [Freedom of Speech is a Labor Issue](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/freedom-of-speech-is-a-labor-issue/): University Unions United for Free Speech recently issued this statement, endorsed by 29 academic union locals... - [Champions: Rev. James Lawson, Jr.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-rev-james-lawson-jr/): Rev. James Lawson died June 10 at 95. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. called Lawson “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” - [“The Whole World Is in a Terrible State o’ Chassis”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-whole-world-is-in-a-terrible-state-o-chassis/): This is the first of a series of Strike! Commentaries on the “Polycrisis and the Global Green New Deal.” The term “polycrisis” is increasingly being used to describe an era in which multiple crises collide – in particular, our present era. The first set of Commentaries in this series examine geopolitics and war in the era of polycrisis. - [The Strategy of the Green New Deal from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-strategy-of-the-green-new-deal-from-below/): The Green New Deal from Below pursues strategic objectives that implement Green New Deal programs, expand the Green New Deal’s support, and shift the balance between pro- and anti-Green New Deal forces. Not every action is likely to accomplish all of these objectives, but most actions aim to accomplish more than one of them at the same time. - [Strategic Perspectives of the Green New Deal from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/strategic-perspectives-of-the-green-new-deal-from-below/): The Green New Deal from Below expresses the values and programs of the Green New Deal at local, state, and regional levels. But it is also a strategy for how to realize those values and implement those programs. This Strike! Commentary will explore how, in a complex and conflicted political arena, the Green New Deal movement has constructed such a strategy. The next commentary will explore how it has implemented that strategy in practice. - [LNS Spotlight: Shontaé Cannon-Buckley](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-shontae-cannon-buckley/): Shontaé Cannon-Buckley is the Member Relations Manager at US Climate Action Network, of which LNS is a member, and recently was the lead organizer of the 2024 Midwest Regional Meeting, at which union members and climate and environmental justice organizers shared knowledge and built power for a sustainable midwest and beyond. - [No to School Austerity, Yes to Green Public Investment](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-to-school-austerity-yes-to-green-public-investment/): LNS organizer Oren Kadosh recently provided testimony to the Board of the Cincinnati Public Schools district on green investment alternatives to education budget cuts. - [California Labor for Climate Jobs Day of Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-labor-for-climate-jobs-day-of-action/): California Labor for Climate Jobs held their first ever Lobby Day in Sacramento, California in early May, calling for the California Worker Climate Bill of Rights. The coalition of 15 unions represents more than one million workers across the state, organizing for a worker-led transition to a just and climate-safe economy. - [Coming June 7: Disability Rights in Transit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/coming-june-7-disability-rights-in-transit/): At a transit rider organizing training one dreary Saturday morning in Pittsburgh, I listened to transit riders speak on how advocates can be an ally for the disabled community. - [BUILD GREEN Act: A Green New Deal for Public Transit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/build-green-act-a-green-new-deal-for-public-transit/): The BUILD GREEN Act, recently re-introduced in Congress by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Robert Garcia, would authorize the US Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify existing transportation and build new electric transportation infrastructure. - [Webinar Details the Case for Public Rail Ownership](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/webinar-details-the-case-for-public-rail-ownership/): On May 15th the Railroad Workers United hosted a public webinar about their campaign for public rail ownership, which is currently ramping up. - [Educators Climate Action Network Demands “Green Schools, Not Fossil Fuels!”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/educators-climate-action-network-demands-green-schools-not-fossil-fuels/): Over the week of Earth Day union educators, youth, and the climate movement organized and participated in actions calling for green, healthy investment and for President Biden to declare a national Climate Emergency. - [June 20: Hear LNS Labor Historian on Labor and Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/june-20-hear-lns-labor-historian-on-labor-and-climate-change/): On June 20 Third Act Union will present an on-line conversation with Jeremy Brecher on “Labor and the Climate Crisis Today.” - [University of California Workers Strike Against Repression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/university-of-california-workers-strike-against-repression/): Two thousand student workers at the University of California Santa Cruz stopped work May 20 in the first of a series of compounding strikes protesting the university’s response to pro-Palestinian protests. The university in turn has filed charges with the California Public Employment Relations Board accusing the union of violating the no-strike clause of its contract and is asking for an injunction to block the strike. - [LNS Statement of Solidarity with Students, Workers, and Palestine](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-statement-of-solidarity-with-students-workers-and-palestine/): We proudly stand with the brave students and workers who are facing repression, violence, retaliation, and arrest on their campuses for protesting the complicity of the U.S. and their universities in a genocide. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-4/): The world just made the largest ever recorded leap in the amount of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere. The global average concentration of carbon dioxide in March this year was 4.7 parts per million higher than it was in March last year. - [San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council Signals Major Pro-Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/san-diego-imperial-counties-labor-council-signals-major-pro-climate-action/): In May, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council passed a key resolution to KEEP THE LAW (SB1137) that prohibits toxic oil drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, day care centers, parks, healthcare facilities and businesses in California. - [Florida Bans Worker Heat Protections](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/florida-bans-worker-heat-protections/): HB433, recently signed into law by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, prohibits any municipality in the state from passing heat protections for workers. - [Student Gaza Protesters Are Enforcing the Law](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/student-gaza-protesters-are-enforcing-the-law/): More than 2000 protestors have been arrested in pro-Palestinian demonstrations since mid-April. They have been charged with “criminal trespass” and other crimes. University officials, police, and politicians may say that students protesting Israeli genocide in Gaza and US complicity with it are criminals. But far from breaking the law, their actions are actually enforcing it. Here’s why. - [Statement of Solidarity with Students, Workers, and Palestine](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/statement-of-solidarity-with-students-workers-and-palestine/): We proudly stand with the brave students and workers who are facing repression, violence, retaliation, and arrest on their campuses for protesting the complicity of the U.S. and their universities in a genocide. With nearly 35,000 Palestinians reportedly murdered since October 7, and no end in sight, ceasefire is a moral and existential imperative. - [Updates from California Labor for Climate Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/updates-from-california-labor-for-climate-jobs/): On May 8, 2024, California Labor for Climate Jobs (CLCJ) will rally for a Day of Action at the California state capitol. As legislators head into final days of committee hearings and Governor Gavin Newsom prepares to announce his 2024-2025 State Budget revisions, CLCJ will turn up the volume to voice their pro-worker and pro-climate demands. - [Young Workers Listening Project – a Sneak Peek](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-listening-project-a-sneak-peek/): Last month, I presented research from the LNS Young Worker Listening Project (YWLP) at the annual conference of the Southern Sociological Society. The presentation, titled “Laboring through the Storm: Young workers, climate change, and the pursuit of meaningful work,” explored how the climate crisis is shaping the meaning of work for young workers. - [Want to Find Work in the Climate Space?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-to-find-work-in-the-climate-space/): On May 7 at noon eastern time the youth voter organization Next Gen America will hold an on-line Climate Workshop for young people who are looking for a well-paying job that’s good for the environment. Attendees can expect - [Want to Join the Climate Corps?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-to-join-the-climate-corps/): 20,000 young people will work this summer and fall to care for their communities and tackle the climate crisis through the American Climate Corps. The Climate Corp has been a key campaign issue for the Green New Deal and groups like the youth Sunrise Movement. - [Earth Day to May Day 2024](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/earth-day-to-may-day-2024/): April 15-May 30th continues to be packed with actions around the country connecting the concerns of workers and the environment by linking up Earth Day to May Day. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-3/): Global Energy Monitor map of extraction sites discovered and sanctioned in 2022 and 2023, from the report “Drilling Deeper 2024: Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker” - [Watch out Fossil Fuels: Here Come the Renewables!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/watch-out-fossil-fuels-here-come-the-renewables/): Seven countries now generate all their energy from renewable sources, according to statistics from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). - [Ecocide in Gaza?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ecocide-in-gaza/): The Geneva conventions require that warring parties not use methods that cause “widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment.” - [Midwest for a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/midwest-for-a-just-transition/): In conjunction with the US Climate Action Network and RE-AMP Network, LNS convened thirty community leaders and union activists in Chicago, April 11th and 12th, to discuss regional solidarity in the fight for just transition. - [Labor Notes 2024 Recap](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-notes-2024-recap/): Labor Network for Sustainability joined thousands of rank-and-file workers, organizers, and union leaders at the 2024 Labor Notes conference last month to seize upon both the hard-won momentum of the past two years and emergent opportunities for a sustainable future. - [Evergreen Staff Union Wins Recognition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/evergreen-staff-union-wins-recognition/): On April 9 a post on Twitter/X announced: Evergreen Action was founded on the belief that people are at the heart of our clean energy future. Simply put, staying true to the values we champion as an organization MEANS coming together to organize a union. - [Italian Workers Occupy Factory – Plan for Green Production](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/italian-workers-occupy-factory-plan-for-green-production/): For two years, the GKN auto parts plant in Florence, Italy, has been occupied by laid-off workers. In late March, thousands of people from all over Italy marched in solidarity with workers from the plant. The call for the March 25 demonstration was signed by hundreds of organizations. - [Champions: Charles Young](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-charles-young/): Charles Young was born into slavery in Kentucky on March 12, 1864. Through the legacy of his father, who had escaped slavery to join the Union Army during the Civil War, Young attended West Point Military Academy, becoming the third black American to graduate from West Point. He became the first Black colonel in the United States Army. - [The Green New Deal: From Below or from Above?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-from-below-or-from-above/): While the original Green New Deal congressional resolution primarily envisioned a program at the federal level, activists and governments in local, state, regional, and civil society arenas have gone ahead and implemented many of its programs. Federal and sub-federal actions can be synergistic, but they both require planning, resource mobilization, and the avoidance of false solutions. - [Labor unions and environmentalists are working together on the energy transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/labor-unions-and-environmentalists-are-working-together-on-the-energy-transition/): By Brooke Larsen, Hight Country News—In 2023, groups found solidarity on the climate, but work lies ahead. - [Looking to join a climate community? Try your workplace.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/looking-to-join-a-climate-community-try-your-workplace/): By Katie Myers, Grist—The labor movement and the environmental justice movement have a shared history — and today, workers in all kinds of sectors are banding together to call for climate action. - [The Big 3 Want You To Think Striking Workers and the Climate Are at Odds. They’re Not.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/the-big-3-want-you-to-think-striking-workers-and-the-climate-are-at-odds-theyre-not/): By Sarah Lazare, In These Times—Mainstream media coverage of the UAW strike has implied that workers’ demands stand in conflict with achieving climate goals. That’s BS. - [Young Workers Are Bridging the Climate and Labor Movements](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/young-workers-are-bridging-the-climate-and-labor-movements/): By Leanna First-Arai , TRUTHOUT—Ongoing organizing in the labor movement could have enormous implications for curbing the climate crisis. - [How Social Movements Escape Silos](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-social-movements-escape-silos/): Social movements often find themselves locked into isolated silos, divided by internecine conflict, or even brutalizing each other in “circular firing squads.” This Commentary provides historical examples of how such self-destructive patterns can be overcome. An earlier version was written as a contribution to the Great Transition Initiative Forum What’s Next for the Global Movement? The series addressed the question “What’s Next for Movement Unity?” - [California Workers to Hold Summits on Climate and Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-workers-to-hold-summits-on-climate-and-jobs/): California Labor for Climate Jobs is hosting two CLCJ Worker Summits this spring, one in the Bay Area this past weekend and one upcoming in Los Angeles. - [LNS President Testifies on Geothermal Energy, Climate Change, and Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-testifies-on-geothermal-energy-climate-change-and-jobs/): On March 6, LNS president Joe Uehlein testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources... - [To Protect Labor and Climate: Protect Dissent!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/to-protect-labor-and-climate-protect-dissent/): There’s a war brewing against dissent. In Georgia, lawmakers are attempting to make it illegal for communities to protest and advocate against environmental injustice by labeling protestors as “domestic terrorists.” Bills introduced in legislatures around the country would make it illegal to protest at industrial sites, whether publicly or privately owned... - [Green New Deal for Housing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-for-housing/): On March 21, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introduced the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act. - [Providence: Clean Buildings and Union Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/providence-clean-buildings-and-union-jobs/): On March 7 the Providence, Rhode Island city council passed an ordinance requiring that all municipal buildings, including public schools, be carbon-neutral by 2040. It includes strong labor and equity standards that will create pathways to union jobs in communities that need them most. - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard-2/): The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on March 19 that 2023 was the hottest year on record. - [Get Access to That Infrastructure Funding!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/get-access-to-that-infrastructure-funding/): The NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) has just issued a report called ACT LOCALLY: An Equitable Investment Resource Guide for Advocates and Local Governments to Access Infrastructure Funding and Activate Bold Plans - [If You Have a Cause You Need a Union!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/if-you-have-a-cause-you-need-a-union/): The nonprofit Breach Collective, with support from the Communications Workers of America, has just released a handbook for building worker power in the nonprofit sector. - [Champions: Dorie Ladner](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-dorie-ladner/): "Champions” features current and historic figures who can inspire the struggle for a worker - and climate - safe world. - [LNS Spotlight - Colette Pichon Battle](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-colette-pichon-battle/): Colette Pichon Battle joined the LNS Board of Directors in 2023. She is an award-winning lawyer and climate justice organizer. She is a trusted voice in the climate justice and Black liberation movements, and her work focuses on creating spaces for frontline communities to gather and advance climate strategies that help us steward the water, energy, and land. - [Testimony of Joseph Uehlein on H.R. 7422, Geothermal Cost Recovery Authority Act of 2024](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/testimony-of-joseph-uehlein-on-h-r-7422-geothermal-cost-recovery-authority-act-of-2024/): Testimony of Joseph Uehlein, Founder and Board President, Labor Network for Sustainability Before the House Committee on Natural Resource Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources March 6, 2024 On H.R. 7422, Geothermal Cost Recovery Authority Act of 2024 Good afternoon Chair Stauber, Ranking Member Ocasio-Cortez, and Members of the Committee. My name is Joseph - [Popular Enforcement of International Law from Vietnam to Gaza](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/popular-enforcement-of-international-law-from-vietnam-to-gaza/): The International Court of Justice has found that Israel’s actions in Gaza may constitute genocide in violation of international law. A US District Court has endorsed that finding and added, “It is every individual’s obligation to confront the current siege in Gaza.” What can we learn from history about the responsibility of individuals to confront war crimes and how it may be possible to do so. - [How the Green New Deal from Below Integrates Diverse Constituencies](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/how-the-green-new-deal-from-below-integrates-diverse-constituencies/): Green New Deal initiatives at local, state, regional, and civil society levels around the country have drawn together diverse, sometimes isolated, or even conflicted constituencies around common programs for climate, jobs, and justice. How have they done so? - [What Workers Want Is a Function of What They Think They Can Get](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/what-workers-want-is-a-function-of-what-they-think-they-can-get/): The rise of industrial unionism in the 1930s shows that workers can join together across divisions of race, gender, ethnicity, occupation, and industry -- and reveals the power they can acquire when they do. It also reveals the long history of some of the problems that have plagued the American labor movement down to the present day. This interview with Benjamin Fong at the Center for Work and Democracy at Arizona State University appeared in Jacobin and was originally conducted for the podcast. - [LNS Spotlight: April Sims, New Member of the LNS Board](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-april-sims-new-member-of-the-lns-board/): April Sims (she/her) is a new member of the LNS Board. - [Midwest Labor-Climate Meeting - Final Opportunity to Apply!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/midwest-labor-climate-meeting-final-opportunity-to-apply/): April 11th - 12th in Chicago, LNS and the US Climate Action Network (USCAN) are bringing representatives of the labor-climate movement together from across the Midwest to learn from one another, deepen relationships, and develop collective strategies in pursuit of a just transition. - [March 2: Join the Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Statehouse Assemblies](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/march-2-join-the-poor-peoples-and-low-wage-workers-statehouse-assemblies/): The Poor People’s Campaign is holding a day of nationally-coordinated direct action in 32 state capitols and D.C. on March 2. - [Transit Equity Day Promotes “Stronger Communities through Better Transit”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-promotes-stronger-communities-through-better-transit/): To mark Climate Equity Day 2024, LNS Transit Organizer Bakari Height wrote in an Op Ed published in five newspapers... - [ART WORKS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/art-works/): Ken Grossinger is a movement activist and organizer with 35 years’ experience under his belt. He has spent his life serving movements for social and economic justice -- in unions, in community organizations, and in philanthropy. - [LNS Co-director Joshua Dedmond on “Cooperative Economics”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-co-director-joshua-dedmond-on-cooperative-economics/): Joshua Dedmond is not only Co-executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability – he is also Program Director for Cooperation Jackson, a pioneering effort to use coops to foster economic equity, sustainability, and community empowerment. - [Architectural Workers Call for a Green New Deal and a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/architectural-workers-call-for-a-green-new-deal-and-a-just-transition/): The Architecture Lobby (TAL) is a grassroots organization of architectural workers that advocates for just labor practices and an equitable built environment. - [How Auto Workers and the Climate Movement Joined to Fight for a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-auto-workers-and-the-climate-movement-joined-to-fight-for-a-just-transition/): The UAW strike against the auto industry Big Three won not only better wages and conditions for auto workers, but also forged a pathway for a just transition to climate-safe vehicle production for the US auto industry. - [LNS Historian Recounts the Rise of Industrial Unionism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-historian-recounts-the-rise-of-industrial-unionism/): In an interview for the podcast series “Organize the Unorganized: The Rise of the CIO,” labor historian and LNS co-founder and Senior Advisor Jeremy Brecher recounts the rise of industrial unionism in the 1930s:... - [Climate Change: In Case You Haven’t Heard...](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-change-in-case-you-havent-heard/): For the first time ever, global average heating exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius for a 12-month period. Climate scientists have declared 2023 the hottest year on record. - [A California Strategy for a Just Transition to Renewable Energy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-california-strategy-for-a-just-transition-to-renewable-energy/): Workers in California have allied with environmental, environmental justice, and community groups to move the state closer to a just transition to renewable energy. - [Lead the Charge!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lead-the-charge/): The Lead the Charge coalition, a diverse network of local, national, and global advocacy partners working for an equitable, sustainable, and fossil-free auto supply chain, is releasing its 2024 Leaderboard results this month. Their scorecard evaluates over 20 automakers’ efforts to account for, - [AFL-CIO Calls for Ceasefire in Gaza](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/afl-cio-calls-for-ceasefire-in-gaza/): On February 8, 2024 the AFL-CIO issued this “Statement on the Situation in Israel and Gaza”... - [Champions: Hazel M. Johnson](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/champions-hazel-m-johnson/): This issue of Making a Living on a Living Planet initiates the new series, “Champions”, featuring current and historic figures who can inspire the struggle for a worker - and climate - safe world. - [January 2024 LNS Spotlight: Nayyirah Shariff](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/january-2024-lns-spotlight-nayyirah-shariff/): Nayyirah Shariff is a grassroots organizer based in Flint, Michigan and recently joined the LNS Board of Directors! Nayyirah was one of the co-founders of the Flint Democracy Defense League, a grassroots group formed to confront Flint’s emergency manager in 2011. - [Transit Equity Day Coming February 5](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-coming-february-5/): Transit Equity Day is around the corner, and the Transit Equity Network has already been hard at work preparing for a week’s (and possibly month’s) worth of events! - [2023: The Year of Labor and Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/2023-the-year-of-labor-and-climate/): According to the leading environmental publication Grist, “In 2023, organized labor became core to the climate movement.” - [Power Lines: Building a Labor-Climate Justice Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/power-lines-building-a-labor-climate-justice-movement/): The just-released anthology Power Lines: Building a Labor-Climate Justice Movement features an article by Maria Brescia-Weiler, LNS project manager for young worker organizing and Liz Ratzloff, LNS co-executive director, titled “Young Workers Can Bridge the Labor and Climate Movements.” - [Clean Up Kingspan!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/clean-up-kingspan/): Kingspan Campaign Update: Environmental Groups Stand with Workers Calling out Greenwashing - [Educators Organize for a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/educators-organize-for-a-just-transition/): A just-published article by Todd E. Vachon, “Climate Justice for All: Pursuing a Just Transition in the Education Sector”—published in the American Federation of Teachers journal The American Educator—lays out in detail “what educators can do—and many already are doing—through their unions to promote climate justice and equity in their schools and communities.” - [National Climate Assessment Highlights Environmental Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/national-climate-assessment-highlights-environmental-justice/): The National Climate Assessment, issued every four years based on the work of scientists and other experts, is generally considered the US’ most authoritative report on how global warming is affecting the country. The recently issued fifth assessment puts environmental justice front and center, emphasizing that low-income families and communities of color have historically borne the brunt of the nation’s environmental harms while benefiting least from environmental regulation. - [What Do Clean Energy Programs Mean for Workers?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-do-clean-energy-programs-mean-for-workers/): It’s not every day that workers get to tell representatives of Congress how federal programs affect their work lives. But that’s just what happened when union members working on clean energy projects in Illinois, Maine, and New York spoke about the impact of federal climate investments in their communities to the Clean Energy Workers Roundtable hosted by the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC). - [Bargaining for the Common Good in Minnesota](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/bargaining-for-the-common-good-in-minnesota/): “Bargaining for the Common Good” has become a crucial strategy for organized labor and a key means of forging broad coalitions for mutual support. For the past decade, unions and allies in Minnesota have developed powerful union and community alignments that have won victories at the bargaining table, in the community, and in the legislature. - [How Labor and Climate Movements Build Power from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-labor-and-climate-movements-build-power-from-below/): A January 18 podcast interview with labor historian Jeremy Brecher, editor of LNS’ Making a Living on a Living Planet, delved into strategic issues for the labor and climate movements. - [How Green New Deal from Below Programs Integrate Climate, Jobs, and Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/how-green-new-deal-from-below-programs-integrate-climate-jobs-and-justice/): The appeal of the Green New Deal lies in its drawing together the varied needs of diverse constituencies into a common program that realizes them all. Here’s how that works at the sub-national level. - [‘COP28 should be the most important meeting in the history of the world’](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/cop28-should-be-the-most-important-meeting-in-the-history-of-the-world/): British journalist DAVID HILL interviewed Jeremy Brecher in the lead-up to COP28 about why international climate negotiations fail and how a “global nonviolent constitutional insurgency” could be a climate game-changer. - [Transit Equity Day 2024 Coming](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-2024-coming/): For the sixth year, the Transit Equity Network of Labor Network for Sustainability will celebrate Rosa Park’s birthday with a nationwide Transit Equity Day February 5. Transit rider organizations, labor unions, and transit equity advocates will take attention-grabbing actions locally around the country to dramatize the need for just transit for all. - [Auto Workers Win Key Parts of a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/auto-workers-win-key-parts-of-a-just-transition/): Through bold strategy and collective action, United Auto Workers (UAW) have won historic gains in their 2023 contracts with the Big 3 Auto companies– gains that turned the tide against an unjust transition to electric vehicles and demonstrated that climate progress and economic justice can and must be won in tandem. - [A New California Coalition of Labor Unions for Climate Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-new-california-coalition-of-labor-unions-for-climate-jobs/): In October this year, California Labor for Climate Jobs (CLCJ) launched as a new, state-wide coalition of fourteen California labor unions with express intent to promote a worker-led transition to a just and climate-safe economy. - [Workers Call Out Greenwashing in Building Energy Efficiency Product Manufacturing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-call-out-greenwashing-in-building-energy-efficiency-product-manufacturing/): By Veronica Wilson, LNS California Organizer For the second year in a row, SMART (Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation) International Union hosted a “Cleanup Kingspan Virtual Summit,” inviting organizations to stand with workers fighting for “good” “green” jobs. Labor Network for Sustainability co-sponsored the summit along with Center on Race Poverty and the Environment, Communities - [Will Federal Infrastructure Programs Promote or Undermine Climate Justice?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/will-federal-infrastructure-programs-promote-or-undermine-climate-justice/): At a November Department of Energy panel on “Community Voices from the Ground” grassroots environmental justice advocates asked the Department to stop promoting large-scale polluting project in marginalized communities of color. - [Greenhouse Gases Reach Record High](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/greenhouse-gases-reach-record-high/): The abundance of climate-heating gases in the atmosphere reached record highs in 2022. A new report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finds that climate-heating gases in the atmosphere reached record highs in 2022 and “there is no end in sight to the rising trend,” which is largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels. - [US Oil and Gas Production Breaks Records](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/us-oil-and-gas-production-breaks-records/): According to the latest US government forecast, the US will extract more crude oil in 2023 than ever in history, more than twice as much as ten years ago. - [US Warming Faster than Global Average](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/us-warming-faster-than-global-average/): While it is often asserted that rich countries like the United States will be spared the worst effects of climate change, the recently released Fifth National Climate Assessment finds that temperatures in the US are actually rising faster than the global average. According to the authoritative report, Americans are suffering “far-reaching and worsening” consequences from the climate crisis, with worse to come. - [Want to Get Federal Infrastructure Funding?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-to-get-federal-infrastructure-funding/): The UC Berkeley Labor Center’s Green Economy Program has just launched a Federal Infrastructure Funding Database. - [Recycling Observed](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/recycling-observed/): Those of us in the fight for climate justice have long heard that recycling is broken. “Most recycling ends up at the landfill.” “Recycling uses more energy than it saves.” “If you put one contaminant in the recycling, the whole load will go to the landfill.” I’ve repeated these sentiments without really knowing where I got them from. - [Postal Union President Says: Shift $$$ from Military to Social Needs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/postal-union-president-says-shift-from-military-to-social-needs/): Mark Dimondstein, President of the American Postal Workers Union, has written in the union’s newspaper... - [UAW Calls for Cease-Fire in Gaza](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uaw-calls-for-cease-fire-in-gaza/): The United Auto Workers international, which represents 400,000 workers and 580,000 retirees, called on December 1 for a cease-fire in Israel and Palestine. - [Climate, Jobs, and Justice: A plan for a just transition to a climate-safe economy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-jobs-and-justice-a-plan-for-a-just-transition-to-a-climate-safe-economy/): [By Jeremy Brecher] Can we radically reduce the climate-destroying greenhouse gases (GHGs) we put into the atmosphere, yet also increase jobs for American workers, protect those whose jobs may be threatened by climate policies, and reduce America’s inequality and injustice?... - [The Green New Deal and the Politics of the Possible](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-and-the-politics-of-the-possible/): The previous Commentaries in this series have examined many aspects of the Green New Deal that is emerging from below. This Commentary tells how the Green New Deal at the local state, and regional levels is transforming the limits of what people believe to be possible. The next several Commentaries will provide an overview of the programs, organizations, and politics that have made this transformation possible. - [Green New Deal Justice—from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/green-new-deal-justice-from-below/): Almost by definition Green New Deal projects simultaneously address climate protection, worker empowerment, and justice. This Commentary will look at Green New Deal projects and networks that emerged from discriminated-against communities and put issues of justice front and center. - [2023 UAW + Big Three Contracts 101](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/2023-uaw-big-three-contracts-101/): In September 2023, the United Auto Workers union (UAW) went on strike against the Big Three automakers — Ford, GM, and Stellantis. After more than a month of picket lines and bold strike tactics, the union has ratified contracts with the Big Three. - [Auto Workers Win Step Toward a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/auto-workers-win-step-toward-a-just-transition/): In the on-going strike by UAW auto workers against the auto industry Big Three, one of the central objectives is to win a just transition to climate safe vehicle production for auto workers. At press time the strike continues, but the union has already won significant concessions that will contribute to a just transition. - [A “Just Transition” for Auto Workers – Just What Is It?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-just-transition-for-auto-workers-just-what-is-it/): The strike by the UAW against the Big Three auto companies has brought together autoworkers and climate advocates around the demand for a just transition to a climate-safe auto industry. But what is a just transition? Why is a just transition necessary? And how could a just transition for auto workers be achieved? - [Join a Picket Line?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-a-picket-line/): Picket lines are an essential way that workers show their determination and collective power. And they are a key way that others can show their support. Environmental, environmental justice, community, and other supporters have been joining picket lines at auto plants around the country to show their solidarity with striking auto workers. - [American Federation of Teachers Says, “Declare a Climate Emergency”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/american-federation-of-teachers-says-declare-a-climate-emergency/): On October 3 the Executive Council of the American Federation of Teachers passed a resolution “Declaring a Climate Emergency and Developing Climate Action and Healthy Building Plans.” - [LNS President Joe Uehlein Receives ADA Award](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-joe-uehlein-receives-ada-award/): On October 4 Americans for Democratic Action presented LNS co-founder and president with the Winn Newman Lifetime Achievement Award. In his acceptance speech, Joe said in part... - [14 Unions Issue "California Worker Climate Bill of Rights"](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/14-unions-issue-california-worker-climate-bill-of-rights/): On October 24 a new labor union coalition released the California Worker Climate Bill of Rights calling on legislators to take urgent action to support workers through the economic upheaval and hazardous conditions wrought by a rapidly changing climate. - [LNS Board Chair Lays Out Climate Future for Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-board-chair-lays-out-climate-future-for-labor/): LNS Board Chair and former president of the Washington State AFL-CIO Jeff Johnson made the following remarks to the September 17 Climate Rally in Seattle... - [Freedom School Explores Unions and Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/freedom-school-explores-unions-and-climate-justice/): The Rutgers AAUP-AFT, which represents more than 5,000 full-time faculty, graduate workers, postdoctoral associates, and EOF counselors at the state university’s three main campuses, has been holding a series of “Freedom Schools” in the tradition of “Ella Baker, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the 1960s civil rights movement.” - [Unions Launch Climate Jobs Washington State](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-launch-climate-jobs-washington-state/): A new coalition of labor unions called Climate Jobs Washington was formed this summer “to address both climate change and racial and economic inequality by creating high-quality union jobs to sustain Washington’s families and communities.” - [Making Green Jobs Be Good Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-green-jobs-be-good-jobs/): While protecting the climate will require millions of jobs, there is no guarantee that those jobs will be good jobs. In his new Commentary “The Green New Deal from Below and the Future of Work,” newsletter editor Jeremy Brecher describes how the local and state Green New Deals that have sprung up around the country are not only creating new jobs, they are also addressing low wages, lack of opportunities for training and advancement, de facto exclusion from access to good jobs, and other dimensions of job quality. - [In British Workplaces Climate Whistleblowers Fear Reprisals – How About in the US?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-british-workplaces-climate-whistleblowers-fear-reprisals-how-about-in-the-us/): A survey commissioned by the British charity Protect has found that concerns about being fired or victimized at work are preventing people from calling out their employers on the climate crisis and the wider environment. - [LNS Spotlight: Yasmin Gabriel, Sr.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-yasmin-gabriel-sr/): Yasmin Gabriel, Sr is a native of New Orleans, LA. When hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast. Gabriel made a documentary about college students being displaced after Katrina. Gabriel moved to Georgia after the storm and worked to secure $1.8 million in funding for housing assistance to Katrina survivors - [Just Transition for Auto Workers: The Answer to Auto’s Race to the Bottom](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/just-transition-for-auto-workers-the-answer-to-autos-race-to-the-bottom/): The strike by the UAW against the Big Three auto companies has brought together autoworkers and climate advocates around the demand for a just transition to a climate-safe auto industry. But why is a just transition necessary, and how could a just transition for auto workers be achieved? - [Day of Action: Stand with UAW on October 7!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/day-of-action-stand-with-uaw-on-october-7/): The United Auto Workers (UAW) are making history with their Stand Up Strike against corporate greed, and for economic and social justice during the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Their fight is our fight too. We’re joining with Public Citizen, Greenpeace USA, Sunrise Movement, Evergreen Action, Jobs with Justice, DSA, Working Families Party, 350, Sierra Club, Green New Deal Network, and UAW for a Day of Action this Saturday October 7, in solidarity with striking auto workers. - [UAW President: “Use Auto Profits to Address Inequality and the Climate Crisis”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uaw-president-use-auto-profits-to-address-inequality-and-the-climate-crisis/): In a September op-ed, UAW President Shawn Fain and Congressman Ro Khanna say record auto profits should be used to address inequality and the climate crisis. - [Exposing Efforts to Divide Climate and Labor Advocates](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/exposing-efforts-to-divide-climate-and-labor-advocates/): A recent article in In These Times by journalist Sarah Lazare says, “Mainstream media coverage of the UAW strike has implied that workers’ demands stand in conflict with achieving climate goals. That’s BS.” - [Labor Joins Climate March](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-joins-climate-march/): In a climate mobilization endorsed by 30 labor unions, an estimated 75,000 people took part in a March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City on September 17. Chris Silvera, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 808, addressed the rally... - [Help for Fossil Fuel Communities](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/help-for-fossil-fuel-communities/): The federal government is launching a series of Rapid Response Teams (RRT) to help communities impacted by recent or impending closing of fossil fuel facilities. - [Youth Climate Corps Launched](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/youth-climate-corps-launched/): President Joe Biden announced a new initiative to train young people for jobs in the clean energy economy. - [Local Green New Deals Are Creating Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/local-green-new-deals-are-creating-jobs/): Despite opposition to a national Green New Deal by rightwing politicians and the fossil fuel industry, many “Little Green New Deals'' are under way at the local and state level. A new commentary by LNS co-founder and senior advisor Jeremy Brecher called “The Green New Deal from Below Means Jobs” describes how they are already expanding the number and improving the quality of jobs. - [The Green New Deal from Below and the Future of Work](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-from-below-and-the-future-of-work/): While protecting the climate will require millions of jobs, there is no guarantee that those jobs will be good jobs. The local and state Green New Deals that have sprung up around the country are not only creating new jobs, they are also addressing low wages, lack of opportunities for training and advancement, de facto exclusion from access to good jobs, and other dimensions of job quality. They are making it easier for workers to organize. And some of them are moving toward providing a “jobs guarantee.” Taken together, these initiatives are laying the foundations for a transformation of the world of work. - [The Green New Deal from Below Means Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-from-below-means-jobs/): Despite opposition to a national Green New Deal by rightwing politicians and the fossil fuel industry, many “Little Green New Deals” are under way at the local and state level – and they are already expanding the number and improving the quality of jobs. This Commentary starts with the youth jobs corps that have developed in Green New Deal cities and others with climate protection programs. It reviews the jobs that are already being created by state and local Green New Deal from Below programs and evaluates how many could be created by a fully developed Green New Deal. The next Commentary will examine how the Green New Deal from Below is making green jobs be good jobs. - [Victory against Manchin’s “Dirty Deal”!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/victory-against-manchins-dirty-deal/): We’re celebrating the recent defeat of US Senator Joe Manchin’s “Dirty Deal.” This was a proposal to undermine environmental reviews and fast-track fossil fuel projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline. - [LNS Celebrates Victory against Manchin’s “Dirty Deal”!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-celebrates-victory-against-manchins-dirty-deal/): Larry Williams, Jr. Executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability, sent a message to LNS friends and supporters that said in part: "We’re celebrating the recent defeat of US Senator Joe Manchin’s “Dirty Deal.” This was a proposal to undermine environmental reviews and fast-track fossil fuel projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline..." - [Support Workers Bucking Starbucks – and its Greenwashing!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/support-workers-bucking-starbucks-and-its-greenwashing/): On November 17, Starbucks’ annual “Red Cup Day,” workers at 114 Starbucks cafes around the country held a one-day “Red Cup Rebellion” strike. Members of Starbucks Workers United, organizing under the umbrella of Service Employees International Union (SEIU)’s affiliate Workers United, picketed in front of Starbucks stores and gave away red cups emblazoned with union messages. - [LNS President Joe Uehlein Introduces New ED Larry Williams](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-president-joe-uehlein-introduces-new-ed-larry-williams/): Dear Friends, Family, & Comrades It is with great pride, and excitement, that I announce the selection of Larry Williams Jr. as the new Executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability. - [Larry Williams Appointed New LNS Executive Director](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/larry-williams-appointed-new-lns-executive-director-2/): The Labor Network for Sustainability was proud to welcome Larry Williams Jr. as its new Executive Director in 2022. Commenting on his appointment, LNS’ new Executive Larry Williams said... - [The Biden Climate Plan: Part 1: What It Proposes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-biden-climate-plan-part-1-what-it-proposes/): This commentary analyzes Joe Biden’s “Plan for Climate Change and Environmental Justice” released in August. The following commentary, “The Biden Climate Plan: Part 2: An Arena of Struggle,” will consider the struggles that are likely to emerge over what parts of the plan can and should be implemented. - [Labor Joining September 17 NYC Climate March](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-joining-september-17-nyc-climate-march/): On September 17 thousands of people will march in New York City calling on President Biden to make good on his promises to deliver a just transition for workers and our communities, to provide solutions to the economic and climate injustices we face, and to end fossil fuels. Five hundred organizations have endorsed the march. For more information on the March including list of endorsers visit https://www.endfossilfuels.us - [LNS Webinar: Where Is This Train Going?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-webinar-where-is-this-train-going/): Ever wonder why train tickets are so high but service is so low? What is the cause of all these derailments? What can the public do? Railroad Workers United has created a campaign to transfer this ownership of the Class 1 railroads to the public, but they need your support! Please join us for a webinar series where we will hear from: railroad labor members, environmental and climate justice partners, and transportation academics. - [Climate Movement Stands with UAW](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-movement-stands-with-uaw/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is spearheading a climate movement solidarity initiative for United Auto Workers (UAW) currently bargaining a union contract with Big 3 Auto companies (General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis). The initiative launched on August 14 with a Climate Movement open letter to Big 3 Auto CEOs, urging them to ensure that the auto industry’s clean energy transition is a just transition by accepting UAW’s contract demands. - [Report on LNS Just Transition Convening](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/report-on-lns-just-transition-convening/): Over July 21st and 22nd, the Labor Network for Sustainability hosted a two-day convening in Denver, Colorado entitled: “The State of Transition: Lessons from Colorado and Beyond!” LNS convened labor, climate, environmental justice, and social movement allies to broaden and deepen an understanding of existing just transition efforts and to gain insights on how we can better support labor-climate organizing on the ground. - [LNS Supports Workers’ Demand to Build Green Locomotives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-supports-workers-demand-to-build-green-locomotives/): 1400 workers in Erie, PA have been out on strike since June, demanding that their employer, Wabtec, start producing green locomotives. In a statement of solidarity, the Labor Network for Sustainability said... - [Amazon Workers Walk Out to Demand Climate Protection](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amazon-workers-walk-out-to-demand-climate-protection/): Hundreds of workers at Amazon’s main headquarters in Seattle held a walkout May 31 to protest the company’s backtracking on its commitments to climate protection. - [Workers vs. Heat](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-vs-heat/): UPS Workers Win Heat Protections Faced with a threatened strike – including “practice picket lines” -- by its 340,000 union employees, UPS has agreed to a contract that provides major gains in wages and working conditions for its Teamsters’ members. The contract includes elimination of a “two-tier” wage rate; significant wage increases, especially for the lowest paid workers; and combining part-time jobs to provide new full-time jobs. - [Montana Youth Win “Strongest Decision on Climate Change”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/montana-youth-win-strongest-decision-on-climate-change/): On August 14 Montana district court Judge Kathy Seeley declared Montana’s fossil fuel-promoting laws unconstitutional and enjoined their implementation. In a 103-page order, Judge Seeley said that by prohibiting government agencies from considering climate impacts when deciding whether or not to permit energy projects, Montana is contributing to the climate crisis and stopping the state from addressing that crisis. - [Blueprint Issued for Chicago Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/blueprint-issued-for-chicago-green-new-deal/): On July 6, newly elected Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transition team provided the city plan for a “Chicago Green New Deal.” Mayor Johnson, a longtime Chicago teacher and union organizer, ran a social justice campaign stressing the disproportionate impacts polluting industry and changing climate have on communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. - [LNS Spotlight: Marcelina Pedraza](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-marcelina-pedraza/): Marcelina Pedraza is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and United Auto Workers Local 551 at Ford Chicago Assembly Plant and has been a union electrician for 24 years. In the UAW, she is a Delegate for the Skilled Trades committee and serves as the Recording Secretary for the Women's Committee. She is a graduate of and instructor for the Regina V. Polk Women’s Labor Leadership conference, a program that has trained women labor leaders for over 3 decades. - [Free Boris Kagarlitsky!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/free-boris-kagarlitsky/): Russian scholar and activist Boris Kagarlitsky has been jailed for a blog post on the Russia-Ukraine war. His recent writings range from a Ukraine peace plan to climate movement strategy. An international campaign is demanding his release from prison. - [Why the Climate Movement Is Supporting Auto Worker's Fight for a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/why-the-climate-movement-is-supporting-auto-workers-fight-for-a-just-transition/): The following is a transcript from Labor Network for Sustainability staffer Sydney Ghazarian’s opening remarks during the August 17, 2023 United Auto Workers (UAW) Solidarity Call. Welcome everyone! My name is Sydney, I am an organizer with the Labor Network for Sustainability, and I am honored to facilitate tonight’s Solidarity Call for United Auto Workers - [The Labor Network for Sustainability Supports UE Wabtec Workers Striking for Green Locomotives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-labor-network-for-sustainability-supports-ue-wabtec-workers-striking-for-green-locomotives/): In June 2023, the United Electrical Workers Locals 506 and 618 voted to reject the last and final offer by the Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation or (Wabtec) of Erie, Pennsylvania. The unions were denied their basic rights to strike over grievances, and most importantly, over the company’s refusal to move forward with worker-supported environmentally necessary green locomotive production. - [Green New Deal in the Cities – Part 2: Need and Opportunity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/green-new-deal-in-the-cities-part-2-need-and-opportunity/): While the Green New Deal has been largely blocked at the national level, it is thriving in communities, states, and cities. The previous Commentary, “The Green New Deal in the Cities – Part 1,” examined in depth Boston’s Green New Deal. This Commentary examines the Los Angeles and Seattle Green New Deals in the context of urban policy for climate justice. - [The Green New Deal in the Cities – Part 1: Boston](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-in-the-cities-part-1-boston/): While the Green New Deal started as a proposed national program, some of the most impressive implementations of its principles and policies are occurring at a municipal level. Part 1 of “The Green New Deal in the Cities” provides an extended account of the Boston Green New Deal, perhaps the most comprehensive effort so far to apply Green New Deal principles in a major city. Part 2 presents Green New Deal-style programs developing in Los Angeles and Seattle, and reviews the programs and policies being adapted in cities around the country to use climate protection as a vehicle for creating jobs and challenging injustice. - [Protecting Workers and Communities – From Below Part 2: There Ought to Be a Law](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/protecting-workers-and-communities-from-below-part-2-there-ought-to-be-a-law/): As key states start reducing their use of coal, oil, and gas, what will happen to the workers who produce, transport, and burn those fossil fuels? The previous Commentary, “Protecting Workers and Communities – From Below: Part 1: On the Ground” described local programs to protect workers and communities from side effects of power plant closings and other climate protection measures. This Commentary portrays state-level programs to guard workers and communities against loss of livelihoods and income from climate protection policies. - [New York State’s New Clean – and Public – Energy Plan](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-york-states-new-clean-and-public-energy-plan/): The New York State legislature has just passed the Build Public Renewables Act with support of unions representing a million New York workers. The Act authorizes the New York Power Authority – the largest state-owned power company in the US --to start investing in renewable energy. It requires that all state-owned properties that ordinarily receive power from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) are run on renewable energy by 2030. It also requires municipally owned facilities like hospitals, schools, public housing, and public transit to convert completely to renewable energy by 2035. - [Green New Deal Reintroduced – with Implementation Guide](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-reintroduced-with-implementation-guide/): Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the original sponsors of the Green New Deal, have reintroduced the Green New Deal legislation, whose goal is to eliminate fossil fuels in a decade while creating millions of well-paying jobs. According to the Washington Post, Markey and Ocasio-Cortez say they’re aiming to ensure that Democrats’ landmark climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, is implemented in a way that upholds the Green New Deal’s core principles. - [California Educators Promoting Master Plan for Healthy, Sustainable, Climate-Resilient Schools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-educators-promoting-master-plan-for-healthy-sustainable-climate-resilient-schools/): By Veronica Wilson, LNS California Organizer. California teachers, education, and health advocates took a major step toward winning on climate in May when the California Senate unanimously passed (39-0) SB 394, a mandate to create a master plan for healthy, sustainable, and climate-resilient schools. - [Green Yellow Bus Makers Go Union](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-yellow-bus-makers-go-union/): After a three-year organizing struggle, workers who manufacture school buses for Blue Bird in Fort Valley GA voted last month to be represented by the Steelworkers. Blue Bird is the second-largest bus manufacturer in the country. Steelworkers organizing director Maria Somma said, “It’s been a long time since a manufacturing site with 1,400 people has been organized, let alone organized in the South, let alone organized with predominantly African American workers, and let alone in the auto industry.” Only 4.4 percent of workers in Georgia are represented by a union. - [Just Transition – New Book Tells All](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/just-transition-new-book-tells-all/): Jeremy Brecher’s review of Dimitris Stevis’ new book Just Transitions: Promise and Contestation - [What Happens to the Workers When Oil Refineries Close?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-happens-to-the-workers-when-oil-refineries-close/): On October 30, 2020, the Marathon oil refinery in Contra Costa County, California, was permanently shut down and 345 unionized workers laid off. A new study from the UC Berkeley Labor Center found that 74% of former Marathon workers (excluding retirees) had found new jobs. Nearly one in five (19%) were not employed but actively searching for work. Their unemployment rate was 22.5% Their jobs paid $12 per hour less than their Marathon jobs, a 24% cut in pay. - [LNS Young Workers Network Launches Monthly Calls](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-young-workers-network-launches-monthly-calls/): The Labor Network for Sustainability's Young Worker Network is holding network calls on the first Tuesday of every month. We hope you or young workers from your union or organization can join us for our first Young Worker Network call on Tuesday, June 6th at 4 pm PT/5 pm MT/6 pm CT/7 pm ET. - [A Day for Truth](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-day-for-truth/): LNS is cosponsoring the June 10 Teach Truth Day of Action to defend the freedom to learn and the rights of LGBTQ+ students. Protecting teachers' right and responsibility to teach truth to our future generations is vital for a sustainable and just world. - [San Diego Labor Summit: “Climate Resiliency Is Economic Resiliency”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/san-diego-labor-summit-climate-resiliency-is-economic-resiliency/): At the end of April, California labor leaders and unionists gathered at the 6th Annual Progressive Labor Summit in San Diego, CA., an annual event that brings together members of the San Diego Labor community with left-of-center activists. The event drew roughly 500 panelists and participants. - [“We Drive Together!” German Climate and Transit Strike](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/we-drive-together-german-climate-and-transit-strike/): Excerpts from an interview with Friedrich Graeber of the Magdeberg grouping of the Youth Climate Strike group Fridays for Future: All this goes back to three years ago when we approached the trade unions in Germany and we asked them if they were interested in working together, because we have to connect climate and social justice fights. We got an answer from public transport workers, who were interested in working together with us, and since then we started to build an alliance in more and more cities in Germany. - [LNS Spotlight: Keith Brower Brown](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-keith-brower-brown/): Keith Brower Brown started in April as the first Labor-Climate Organizer at Labor Notes, the long-running media and organizing network for rank-and-file activists. - [The Willow Project: Which Side Should Labor Be On?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-willow-project-which-side-should-labor-be-on/): American unions increasingly recognize the threat of climate change to workers and their communities. Yet some unions continue to promote programs like Alaska’s Willow Project that violate the basic requirement of climate safety: that fossil fuel extraction and burning must be subject to a rapid, managed decline. Fortunately, they are not the only voices in the labor movement. - [Los Angeles Strike Wins “Climate Champions” in Every School](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/los-angeles-strike-wins-climate-champions-in-every-school/): After a three-day solidarity strike supporting school service workers who belong to SEIU local 99, educators in the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) won a tentative contract agreement that provides a 21% raise. It also included many of the UTLA’s “bargaining for the common good” objectives, including smaller classes, expanding housing for low-income families, special programs for Black students, and curriculum on climate change. - [Educators Fight Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/educators-fight-climate-change/): In a new article titled, “Educators Are Standing Up for Healthy Green Schools and a Livable Climate This Earth Week,” two union educators describe how “students, educators, parents, school staff, and community members” around the U.S. are “taking action to demand healthy, green schools.” - [Chicago Green New Deal Wins Smashing Victory](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/chicago-green-new-deal-wins-smashing-victory/): In a surprise victory, Brandon Johnson, formerly an organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, has just won election as Chicago’s mayor. He ran in part on a program for a “Chicago Green New Deal” which includes... - [Climate Protection Will Soon Fund Millions of Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-protection-will-soon-fund-millions-of-jobs/): According to a new study by the nonprofit Energy Futures Initiative, the Inflation Reduction Act passed last summer will create 1.5 million climate and energy security jobs by 2030 – seven years from now. Over 100,000 will be in manufacturing, with 60,000 coming from battery production alone. - [Shift the Power!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/shift-the-power/): Powershift is a network that mobilize the collective power of young people to mitigate climate change and create a just, clean energy future and resilient, thriving communities for all. In April a Powershift Convergence brought together thousands of climate and social justice activists in Bvlbancha/New Orleans. - [New Book Tells the Story of the Labor-Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-book-tells-the-story-of-the-labor-climate-movement/): Conventional wisdom often holds that the interest of workers in jobs and the interest of environmentalists in preserving nature are diametrically opposed, and that they inevitably lead to conflict between environmental advocates and organized labor. A small but growing Labor-Climate Movement, however, is challenging that frame. It is trying to draw the labor movement into the fight for climate protection while persuading the climate movement that it must take a stand for workers and social justice. - [LNS Transit Organizer Bakari Height in Panel on Public Ownership of the Railroads](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-transit-organizer-bakari-height-in-panel-on-public-ownership-of-the-railroads/): The Labor Network for Sustainability recently endorsed the call of Railroad Workers United for public ownership of American railroads. A video panel on railroad nationalization sponsored by Solutionary Rail included LNS Transit Organizer Bakari Height. - [Talking Union, Talking Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/talking-union-talking-climate/): How are workers around the world viewing climate change and its impact on their jobs, their labor conditions, and their industries? For a quick, revealing glimpse at the answer, take a look at the 15-minute video Talking Union, Talking Climate. It provides a dialogue among workers in California, Norway, and Nigeria about labor conditions in the fossil fuel industry, the shift to a green economy, and what a just transition might be. - [Life Should Be Fun!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/life-should-be-fun/): At a recent panel on Working Class Environmentalism at UMass Amherst, organizers from the building trades, education, and human service sectors discussed how the labor movement can organize workers around both immediate workplace issues and bigger-picture problems like the global climate crisis, and how unions can address those problems at the bargaining table and beyond. - [Oil and Gas Workers Reveal Their Real Working Conditions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/oil-and-gas-workers-reveal-their-real-working-conditions/): True Transition, an organization composed of fossil fuel workers, recently released their “American Oil and Gas Workers Survey.” It provides the answers given by 1649 oil and gas workers to 38 questions about their jobs and work lives. - [May Day Conference on Municipalism and Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/may-day-conference-on-municipalism-and-labor/): Workers are rising up and taking cities back from capitalists and corporations. Unions are negotiating for benefits for the community and not just members, emerging from behind the fortress. This moment of labor insurgency in the aftermath of the pandemic, which laid bare the disposability of the working class, has echoes in historical struggles to make cities more livable and democratic. - [LNS Spotlight: David Hughes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-spotlight-david-hughes/): David Hughes is an anthropologist of the climate emergency and energy democracy. He works at Rutgers University, where he has served as president of the faculty and grad worker union. - [Protecting Workers and Communities–From Below | Part 1: On the Ground](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/protecting-workers-and-communities-from-below-part-1-on-the-ground/): Climate protection will create jobs for workers and economic development for communities. But as fossil fuel facilities are closed down there will also be some jobs lost and some communities will lose taxes and other economic benefits. This Commentary recounts what communities around the country are doing “on the ground” to protect workers and local economies from collateral damage from the transition to climate-safe energy. - [“Rocking Chair Rebellion”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rocking-chair-rebellion/): On March 21 senior citizens held more than 100 climate actions around the country. Participants included retired trade unionists from 30 different international unions. - [Young Workers Face the Climate Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-face-the-climate-future/): As Project Manager of the LNS Young Worker Listening Project and an organizer of the LNS Young Workers Convergence on Climate, Maria Breschia-Weiler has worked with, surveyed, and interviewed hundreds of young workers. In a talk March 3, 2023 to the DC Youth Climate Strike, organized by Fridays for the Future, Maria provided some reflections on what she has learned from the process. - [Educators Mobilize for a Week of Action this Earth Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/educators-mobilize-for-a-week-of-action-this-earth-day/): Public schools need a Green New Deal, and educators are ready to win it. From April 16th-22nd (the week of Earth Day), educators across the country are taking action for green, healthy, fully-resourced schools. - [“Our Unity is our Power:” Historic Strike shuts down Los Angeles Schools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/our-unity-is-our-power-historic-strike-shuts-down-los-angeles-schools/): “You braved the cold, you braved the wind, you braved some hail, and you braved the hellish rains. And we took the fight to every corner of Los Angeles. We had strong picket lines, we had massive rallies, and we, together, put LAUSD on notice!” - [Climate Scientists Deliver Final Warning](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-scientists-deliver-final-warning/): On March 20 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, [IPCC], the world’s most definitive voice of climate science, released its latest Synthesis Report. - [Labor and the Willow Project](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-and-the-willow-project/): On March 13, the Biden administration announced approval of ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project, the largest fossil fuel extraction project on federal lands in history. It is expected to produce five hundred and seventy-five million barrels of oil over the next thirty years. - [LNS Supports Railroad Workers United’s Demand to Nationalize the Railroads](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-supports-railroad-workers-uniteds-demand-to-nationalize-the-railroads/): There is a through-line between the denial of sick days to railroad workers and residents of East Palestine fleeing their homes in the aftermath of a derailed freight train poisoning their town. The through-line is the rail industry’s drive for profit costing workers and communities their health and safety. The through-line is workers sounding the alarm, to no avail. - [Heat Still Killing California Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/heat-still-killing-california-workers/): Seventeen years ago California passed one of the nation’s first workplace heat stress rules. Since then California has been inundated with heat waves resulting from global warming. - [The Green New Deal Is Alive and Well and Transforming Our States](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-green-new-deal-is-alive-and-well-and-transforming-our-states/): In the past two years there has been a wave of state legislation and executive action that sets and implements new standards for greenhouse gas emissions. States have greatly expanded their plans for wind and solar energy and energy efficiency. In most cases these are combined with policies specifically designed to create good quality jobs and to counter inequality. - [Join LNS at the CLUW Young Working Women Conference, May 7 - 9](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-lns-at-the-cluw-young-working-women-conference-may-7-9/): Members of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) have been integral to the LNS Young Worker Organizing Committee since its inception. CLUW is a national organization that advocates for the rights and empowerment of women in the workplace. Now, participants in the LNS Young Worker Project are organizing the first ever CLUW Young Working Women Conference, May 7 - 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada! - [New Foundations for the House of Labor?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/new-foundations-for-the-house-of-labor/): Workers’ problems are not limited to their relationships with their immediate employers. How can they gain the power to affect the hidden decisionmakers who affect them both at work and in the rest of their lives? Two new books shed light on that question. - [Meet the New LNS Co-Directors](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/meet-the-new-lns-co-directors/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is pleased to introduce you to our new Co-Directors, Joshua Dedmond and Liz Ratzloff. Both are experienced activists in labor, environmental, and other movements who have been promoted from the LNS staff to serve as Co-Directors. - [Transit Equity Day: Another One in the Books](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-another-one-in-the-books/): Earlier this month, LNS wrapped up one of LNS’s most visible events -- Transit Equity Day. Transit Equity Day is a national day-of-action where many local transit advocates, environmental justice organizations, and labor unions come together to increase awareness of the vast amount of transit inequities within their transit system - as well as their solutions. - [Educators Mobilize for Earth Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/educators-mobilize-for-earth-day/): Union educators organizing with the Educators Climate Action Network are planning to mobilize their coworkers and with youth movements for action during the week leading up to Earth Day 2023 (April 17th - 22nd). - [Climate Disaster Relief](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-disaster-relief/): Some state and federal programs cover property damage caused by natural disasters, but there have been no support programs for workers who lose work because of floods, hurricanes, heatwaves, fires, and other results of climate change... - [New Foundations for the House of Labor?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-foundations-for-the-house-of-labor-2/): There is a lively debate on how workers can fight for better conditions and a better world today. Proposals range from tweaks like labor law reform or bigger union organizing budgets to efforts to replacing collective bargaining with individual employers with government-sponsored industry-wide national bargaining tables, from replacing “union jurisdiction” with multi-union organizing coalitions. to “solidarity unionism” focused on direct action on the job by independent “worker-led” unions. - [Protecting the Workers Who Protect Us All](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/protecting-the-workers-who-protect-us-all/): On February 15 staff at the US Environmental Protection Agency rallied to demand more adequate staffing for the agency that protects our environment and our climate. Council 238 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents EPA employees, said... - [California: The Summer of Climate Catastrophe and Climate Protection](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-the-summer-of-climate-catastrophe-and-climate-protection/): A new “Commentary on Solidarity and Survival” on “The Green New Deal in the States” by LNS co-founder and senior strategic advisor Jeremy Brecher features the wide-ranging climate legislation and executive action taken by California in 2022. - [NY Unions Demand Climate and Community Protection Fund](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ny-unions-demand-climate-and-community-protection-fund/): Unions representing over half-a-million New York state workers are demanding the legislature allocate ten billion dollars to capitalize a Climate and Community Protection Fund. The fund would include... - [Commentary: The Green New Deal – The Current State of Play](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/commentary-the-green-new-deal-the-current-state-of-play/): While the national media have largely gone silent on the Green New Deal, evidence shows that its vision remains vibrant with much of the public – and that it is being implemented all over the country at a community, local, and state level. - [Commentary: The Green New Deal in the States – Part 2](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/commentary-the-green-new-deal-in-the-states-part-2/): As the Green New Deal program has met headwinds in Washington, many states have plowed ahead with efforts to correct injustices and create good jobs as part of programs to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “The Green New Deal in the States –Part 1” reviewed the climate, jobs, and justice programs in Hawaii and Illinois. This commentary examines the extensive Green New Deal-style programs that California has instituted this year and draws conclusions from the experience of many states. - [Join Transit Equity Day This Saturday, February 4!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-transit-equity-day-this-saturday-february-4/): The Labor Network for Sustainability’s seventh Transit Equity Day will be on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at Noon EST. It will be carried on the Transit Equity Network YouTube page. We would love for you to join us. - [Young Workers’ Trajectory of Climate Consciousness](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-trajectory-of-climate-consciousness/): The Young Worker Listening Project interviewed 70 young workers in all parts of the country about the ways climate change impacts how they do and think about work, and how their work informs their understanding of the climate crisis and potential solutions. They ranged from 16-year-olds who were just starting to think about what kind of work they might do to 35-year-olds with 20 years experience as construction workers, government employees, teachers, and nonprofit workers. - [NY Nurses Union Wins Safer Staffing for Workers and Patients](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ny-nurses-union-wins-safer-staffing-for-workers-and-patients/): On January 13, 7,000 nurses at two New York City hospitals returned to work after winning their main priority -- improving working conditions by adding nurses to short-staffed hospital floors where they said crowded conditions had put patients at risk and led to stress and burnout among staff. - [Free Bus Fares Coming to Washington, DC](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/free-bus-fares-coming-to-washington-dc/): Washington, DC plans to eliminate its $2 bus fares in July. It is also considering a monthly subsidy for subway riders. - [A New Wave of Global Youth Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-new-wave-of-global-youth-climate-action/): Six hundred fifty thousand young climate activists have said they will continue “protesting in the streets in huge numbers” against fossil fuels. - [Who We Are](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-we-are/): Jessica Garraway has worked as an educator in Minneapolis Public Schools for roughly six years. She has been organizing and writing on matters such as wealth disparity, racism, colonialism, women’s liberation, labor, and environmental issues for over 10 years. Jessica was also active in the fight to stop the building of what would have been the first Tar Sands mine in the US as well as the Keystone, Dakota Access, and Line 3 pipelines. - [Commentary: The Green New Deal in the States – Part 1](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/commentary-the-green-new-deal-in-the-states-part-1/): Just since the start of 2021 there has been a wave of state legislation and executive action that sets and implements new standards for greenhouse gas emissions. States have greatly expanded their plans for wind and solar energy and energy efficiency. In most cases these are combined with policies specifically designed to create good quality jobs and to counter inequality. This Commentary describes job-creating, justice-promoting climate protection in Hawaii and Illinois. The following Commentary will describe such initiatives in California and evaluate the origins and effects of state-level Green New Deal-style initiatives overall. - [Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day/): LNS is enlarging the scope of “climate workers,’ such as railroaders and transit workers, to lift-up the importance of investing in the transit workforce to create good jobs for operators and maintenance workers as we transition to clean energy transit systems. - [Young Worker Organizing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-organizing/): LNS is empowering a rising generation of young workers to lead the labor-climate movement into the future. This fall, LNS convened an inaugural Young Workers Convergence that brought together nearly 100 young workers from 23 states (as well as DC and Canada) and more than 50 different worker and environmental organizations to participate in workshops... - [Reorienting the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/reorienting-the-green-new-deal/): In 2022, LNS advised the Green New Deal Network (GNDN) on how to strengthen the pro-labor, climate justice provisions in federal policy proposals. Although Build Back Better (BBB) and the Protect the Right to Organize Act could not get past the Big Coal/Big Oil members in Congress, the coalition and Biden Administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides unprecedented federal funding for new investments in green energy infrastructure. - [California Case Studies](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-case-studies/): LNS is working strategically in key states that are leading the national narrative on climate justice. This year, LNS and Jobs with Justice San Francisco launched California Labor for Climate Jobs, a coalition of labor unions calling for an equitable, worker- and union-led transition to a resilient economy with good jobs based on clean energy and expanded public and social services. - [Southern Solidarity: Mississippi](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/southern-solidarity-mississippi/): In Jackson, Mississippi, our on-the ground organizer Joshua Dedmond is actively working on emergency response for water distribution and recovery from the extreme flooding that overwhelmed the city’s antiquated water filtration system. - [Union Educators Organize for Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-educators-organize-for-climate-justice-2/): For the past several months, LNS has had the privilege of convening the monthly meetings of a newly formed Educators Climate Action Network (ECAN), formed by union educators across the United States in both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA). - [Webinar on Just Transition Listening Report](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/webinar-on-just-transition-listening-report/): In May, the Center for Global Work and Employment, Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) and Center for Environmental Justice at Colorado State University sponsored a virtual discussion on the Just Transition Listening Project (JTLP)’s 2021 report Workers and Communities in Transition. - [Solidarity with Kingspan Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/solidarity-with-kingspan-workers/): In 2022, the Labor Network for Sustainability helped build solidarity between environmentalists and Santa Ana, CA factory workers who stood up to their employer, Kingspan’s, so-called ‘green’ manufacturing processes that pollute indoor air and the local watershed. - [Registration Now Open for the 6th Annual Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/registration-now-open-for-the-6th-annual-transit-equity-day/): The Transit Equity Day has announced that registration is open for the sixth annual Transit Equity Day, which will take place on Saturday, February 4th, 2023. - [December 2: LNS Back in the Streets with Jane Fonda](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/december-2-lns-back-in-the-streets-with-jane-fonda/): Nearly a year ago trade unionists and supporters demonstrated at the U.S. Capitol for “Good Jobs for a Green Future”—and then sat down and were arrested for refusing to leave and end their protest. - [Union Educators Organize for Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-educators-organize-for-climate-justice/): For the past several months, LNS has had the privilege of convening the monthly meetings of a newly formed Educators Climate Action Network (ECAN), formed by union educators across the United States in both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA). - [Protecting Maryland Workers from Extreme Heat](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/protecting-maryland-workers-from-extreme-heat/): A sign-on letter from the Union of Concerned Scientists is calling for the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration to design and implement critical worker protections to save their lives and livelihoods from climate-driven extreme heat. The letter states an acceptable heat standard should... - [For Workers and a Warming World, Fund the NLRB!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/for-workers-and-a-warming-world-fund-the-nlrb/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is proud to join the Worker Power Coalition and progressive organizations calling on Congressional leaders to fully fund the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). - [UAW Strikers at University of California Say: Provide Transit to Fight Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uaw-strikers-at-university-of-california-say-provide-transit-to-fight-climate-change/): Nearly 50,000 academic workers across the University of California system went on strike November 14 in the largest US work stoppage of 2022. After more than a year of bargaining, teaching assistants, researchers, post-doctoral students, and others on ten campuses represented by the United Auto Workers left their classrooms and labs. - [Barcelona Students Sit In for Climate Curriculum – and Win!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/barcelona-students-sit-in-for-climate-curriculum-and-win/): After a week-long occupation of the University of Barcelona campus by students from End Fossil Barcelona, the university agreed that all students will have to take a mandatory course on the climate crisis. The university will also devise a training program on climate issues for its 6,000 academic staff. - [Featured LNS Supporter: Amy Calandrella](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/featured-lns-supporter-amy-calandrella/): my Calandrella is an Operating Engineer with IUOE Local 98 in Western Massachusetts, USA. She operates heavy equipment (bobcats, loaders, bulldozers, etc) on construction sites all over Massachusetts, VT, and NH ranging from road construction to rail line repair. Amy began her work as an Operator in 2015 as an apprentice in her union. - [If the Courts Won’t Protect the Climate the People Must](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/if-the-courts-wont-protect-the-climate-the-people-must/): In the 2007 Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA, the state of Massachusetts successfully sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require it to address greenhouse gas [GHG] pollution under the Clean Air Act. In this summer’s West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency case the Supreme Court forbade the EPA to implement just the kind of climate protection that followed from Massachusetts v. EPA. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court held that the EPA did not have authority to implement emissions caps that would shift power generation from coal to renewables like wind and solar energy. - [Machinists Union Making Plans for Workers Impacted by Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/machinists-union-making-plans-for-workers-impacted-by-climate-change/): The International Association of Machinists, a venerable union representing half-a-million workers in more than 200 manufacturing and transportation industries, passed a powerful resolution on climate change at its October national convention. - [Day of Action for Climate Justice and a Better Rutgers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/day-of-action-for-climate-justice-and-a-better-rutgers/): In a convergence of labor, student, community, and climate forces, Rutgers University students, faculty, graduate workers, and staff joined for a day of speakouts, rallies, and marches for climate justice and fair contracts for the university’s 19,000 union employees. - [UNITE-HERE Local 11 Tells American Airlines: No More Plastics!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unite-here-local-11-tells-american-airlines-no-more-plastics/): UNITE HERE Local 11 represents over 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona, including airline catering workers. In September Local 11, joined by more than 40 environmental organizations, wrote American Airlines demanding action to protect the environment. - [UAW and Sierra Club Leaders – Together at Last!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/uaw-and-sierra-club-leaders-together-at-last/): Cindy Estrada is a long-serving Vice President of the UAW. Ramon Cruz is President of the Sierra Club. Coming from such different affiliations, it is striking that they have just published a joint article about Autoworkers and the Environmental Movement in the Nonprofit Quarterly. - [Immigrant Workers Rebuild Florida – And Have Their Wages Stolen](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/immigrant-workers-rebuild-florida-and-have-their-wages-stolen/): Shortly after Hurricane Ian devastated Florida, Adriana Phillips, a community organizer with South Bronx Mutual Aid in New York began hearing from new immigrants who were being offered lucrative jobs in Florida through flashy ads in Spanish on online platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. - [Enough is Enough – British and French Workers Fight Climate and Inequality Crises](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/enough-is-enough-british-and-french-workers-fight-climate-and-inequality-crises/): Hundreds of thousands people marched and rallied October 1 in over 50 towns and cities across the UK on a National Day of Action protesting the soaring cost of living and inaction on the climate crisis. The actions were called by Enough is Enough, a 700,000 member campaign supported by the trade union movement and community groups including tenant unions and foodbanks. - [Who We Are: Featured LNS Members](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-we-are-featured-lns-members/): Travis Epes lives in Portland, OR. He’s worked as a clerk for the United States Postal Service since 2014. - [First LNS Young Workers Convergence on Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/first-lns-young-workers-convergence-on-climate/): For LNS’s inaugural Young Worker Convergence, we brought together nearly 100 young workers from 23 states (as well as DC and Canada) and more than 50 different worker and environmental organizations to participate in workshops, to hear from our union comrades who have successfully built labor power in service of climate justice, to share strategies across states and sectors, and to build a collective vision for a climate justice movement led by and for workers. - [LA Teachers, Parents, and Communities Demand Heat-Safe, Climate-Safe Schools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/la-teachers-parents-and-communities-demand-heat-safe-climate-safe-schools/): As Los Angeles temperatures soared this September, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) and its allies demanded that the Los Angeles United School District (LAUSD) bargain over their comprehensive climate justice proposals and take immediate action to address the extreme heat searing LA schools. The announcement for a September 6 press conference stated... - [The Inflation Reduction Act and the Labor Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-inflation-reduction-act-and-the-labor-climate-movement-2/): A new Strike! Commentary by LNS’s Jeremy Brecher evaluates the Inflation Reduction Act, its strengths and flaws, and how the labor climate movement can take advantage of the Act and help fix it, including... - [LNS Calls the Inflation Reduction Act an Opportunity to Mobilize for Climate, Labor, and Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-calls-the-inflation-reduction-act-an-opportunity-to-mobilize-for-climate-labor-and-justice/): In response to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Labor Network for Sustainability has just released the following statement... - [Making Transportation Green, Just -- and Worker Friendly](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-transportation-green-just-and-worker-friendly/): “Transforming Transportation – From Below” is a new commentary by newsletter editor Jeremy Brecher. It describes how around the country, “People are acting at the local and state level to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and equalize transportation by expanding and electrifying public transit, electrifying cars and trucks, and making it safe to walk and bike.” It characterizes this work as “a crucial part of building the Green New Deal from Below.” - [A “Greenhouse Gas Rule” for Transportation](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-greenhouse-gas-rule-for-transportation/): The US Department of Transportation recently proposed a Greenhouse Gas Rule requiring state departments of transportation to measure greenhouse gas emissions and establish targets to lower those emissions. The Labor Network for Sustainability, as part of its transit justice work, signed on to a letter urging adoption of the rule. - [Teen Vogue: Young Workers Fight Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/teen-vogue-young-workers-fight-climate-change/): “Young Workers Are Bridging the Climate and Labor Movements” – that’s the title of an article by journalist Leanna First-Arai that just appeared in Teen Vogue and Truthout. It features the Labor Network for Sustainability’s Young Workers Listening Project. - [UPS Drivers Refuse to Be “Sent Out to Die in the Heat”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ups-drivers-refuse-to-be-sent-out-to-die-in-the-heat/): Heat protection will be one of the key issues in the upcoming Teamsters negotiations at UPS for the biggest union contract in North America, which covers the majority of UPS’s 350,000 workers. The current contract expires next year. - [Labor’s “Green New Deal from Below”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labors-green-new-deal-from-below/): A pair of new commentaries by Making a Living on a Living Planet’s editor Jeremy Brecher provides dozens of examples of how unions in the most diverse industries and occupations are creating their own Green New Deal-type programs in localities around the country. - [Union-Enviro Pressure Turns Postal Fleet Green](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-enviro-pressure-turns-postal-fleet-green/): Under pressure from unions and environmental groups, the U.S. Postal Service just announced that 40% of its new delivery vehicles will be electric. - [AFT Says: Divest!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/aft-says-divest/): The July convention of the 1.7 million member American Federation of Teachers urged that its members’ retirement assets be divested “from all corporations or other entities that extract, transport, trade or otherwise contribute to the production of coal, oil and gas” and that they those funds be reinvested in “projects that benefit displaced workers and frontline communities.” - [Chicago Teachers Firing for Environmental Activism Blocked](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/chicago-teachers-firing-for-environmental-activism-blocked/): It all started when the General Iron Company decided to move its car-shredding operation to Chicago’s Southeast Side community. Students, teachers, and community members held numerous marches and demonstrations to protest the move to a location little more than half a mile from George Washington High School. In addition, teacher Chuck Stark took part in a hunger strike and teacher Lauren Bianchi was arrested at a protest outside a city official’s home. - [The Workers Who Protect Our Environment Condemn Supreme Court Anti-Climate Ruling](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-workers-who-protect-our-environment-condemn-supreme-court-anti-climate-ruling/): In response to the Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v EPA that gutted the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, Marie Owens Powell, President of AFGE Council 238, which represents EPA employees, recently stated... - [AFL-CIO Convention Passes Resolution on “Climate Change, Energy and Union Jobs”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/afl-cio-convention-passes-resolution-on-climate-change-energy-and-union-jobs/): At its 29th Constitutional Convention in June, the AFL-CIO passed a resolution on “Climate Change, Energy and Union Jobs.” The resolution begins by pointing out the threat of climate change and the necessity of reducing emissions to meet it... - [Common Preservation in a Time of Mutual Destruction](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/common-preservation-in-a-time-of-mutual-destruction/): Social movement researcher Dalilah Shemia-Goeke recently reviewed Common Preservation in a Time of Mutual Destruction by LNS co-founder and senior advisor Jeremy Brecher. Her review, “How a Global Nonviolent Insurgency Could Prevent Climate Destruction,” was published in Resistance Studies and Waging Nonviolence. - [The Inflation Reduction Act and the Labor-Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-inflation-reduction-act-and-the-labor-climate-movement/): Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act reveals the power that can arise when the movements for worker protection, climate protection, and justice protection join forces. The fossil fuel industry, the Republican Party, conservative fossil-fuel Democrats, and right-wing ideologues combined to block the climate, labor, and social justice programs of the Green New Deal and Build - [The Clean Energy Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/the-clean-energy-future/): This report presents a Clean Energy Future plan for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions 80 percent by 2050 – while adding half a million jobs and saving Americans billions of dollars on their electrical, heating, and transportation costs. Americans have often been told that saving the climate will reduce employment and bust the budget. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “80x50” target for GHG reduction is often portrayed as a threat to American workers’ jobs and the U.S. economy. And although President Obama has endorsed the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, even the most promising proposals in his Clean Power Plan do not approach this target - [States of Change: What the Green New Deal Can Learn from the New Deal in the States](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/states-of-change-what-the-green-new-deal-can-learn-from-the-new-deal-in-the-states/): With the likelihood of a federal government sharply divided between Republicans and Democrats, states are likely to play an expanded role in shaping the American future. The aspirations for a Green New Deal may have support from the presidency and the House, but they are likely to be fiercely contested in the Senate and perhaps the Supreme Court. Bold action to address climate and inequality could emerge at the state level. Are there lessons we can learn from the original New Deal about the role of states in a highly conflicted era of reform? - [Making “Build Back Better” Better: Aligning Climate, Jobs, and Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/making-build-back-better-better-aligning-climate-jobs-and-justice/): The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for conversation in the LNS community and the broader labor and climate movements. We hope it will be a living document that continues to evolve as the knowledge and insight of additional dialogue partners contribute to its development. - [Can Carbon Capture Saver Our Climate—and Our Jobs?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/can-carbon-capture-saver-our-climate-and-our-jobs/): As storms, heat waves, fires, floods, and other devastating effects of global warming have grown, more and more people have become convinced of the need to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted into the atmosphere. The Paris Agreement defined the goal of limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. At the April Climate Summit President Joe Biden announced the U.S. will target reducing emissions by 50-52 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.1 These goals indicate what the consensus of climate scientists says is necessary to ward off the most destructive possible effects of climate change. The question remains how to realize them. - [Don't Starve—Fight: People Power in the Coronavirus Pandemic](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/dont-starve-fight-people-power-in-the-coronavirus-pandemic/): In the early days of the Great Depression of the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of people participated in street protests, anti-eviction “riots,” strikes, marches, and occupations of city halls and state capitals. Sometimes their actions won immediate relief. They also laid the groundwork for the greatest period of social reform since the Civil War and the greatest period of worker organization ever. - [Transforming Transportation–from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/transforming-transportation-from-below/): People are acting at the local and state level to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and equalize transportation by expanding and electrifying public transit, electrifying cars and trucks, and making it safe to walk and bike. It’s a crucial part of building the Green New Deal from Below. - [LNS Goes to Gathering for Grassroots Union Activists](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-goes-to-gathering-for-grassroots-union-activists/): Several LNS staff recently attended the 2022 Labor Notes Conference in Chicago, IL. It was the largest ever held, and by many accounts, the most inspiring and energizing to date. Between the numerous panels, workshops, and meetings covering all facets of building a strong and democratic labor movement, there were six devoted to discussing and teaching about the intersection of work, unions, and climate change. - [Young Worker Organizing at Labor Notes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-organizing-at-labor-notes/): At the 2023 Labor Notes Conference (see previous piece), one of LNS’s main goals was to build support and strategic outreach for its upcoming Young Worker (YW) Convergence in Los Angeles, where young union members and climate activists will meet to strategize around how young workers can move forward a just transition with an urgency commensurate with the climate emergency. There was great enthusiasm for the project from young union members across a vast range of occupations, from tradespeople and longshore workers to teachers and transit workers. Staff will be following up on all the connections that were forged during the weekend and help ensure that these crucial young union voices are represented at the YW Convergence. - [Young Workers Convergence Is Coming Soon!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-convergence-is-coming-soon/): The Young Worker Climate Convergence at the IBEW Local 11 office in Los Angeles, California from September 15th-18th will bring together young workers (18-35) who believe unions and union members have a crucial role to play in responding to the climate crisis. Through discussions, workshops and panels around place-based and sectoral challenges and opportunities in labor-climate organizing, we hope to create a space for young workers to gain a deeper understanding of where they are in the labor-climate landscape, who is around them, and how they can learn from each others' efforts, laying the groundwork for sustained collaboration between young workers at the intersection of economic and environmental justice. - [A Vigil and a Victory: A Clean Up Kingspan Update](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-vigil-and-a-victory-a-clean-up-kingspan-update/): On the 5 year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people, the Clean Up Kingspan campaign held a vigil in Downtown Los Angeles at a Capitol Group HQ building– one of Kingspan’s largest outside stakeholders. An ongoing UK government Inquiry revealed that for over 14 years, Kingspan’s UK insulation division misrepresented fire safety issues with Kooltherm K15, one of the products used in the Grenfell Tower. The vigil was attended by SMART members, clergy, environmentalists, and local activists. - [US to Use Defense Production Act to Boost Renewable Energy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/us-to-use-defense-production-act-to-boost-renewable-energy/): On June 6, President Joe Biden issued a “Presidential Determination” under Section 303 of the Defense Production Act to expand US production of heat pumps, declaring it a matter of national security. “Ensuring a robust, resilient, and sustainable domestic industrial base to meet the requirements of the clean energy economy is essential to our national security, a resilient energy sector, and the preservation of domestic critical infrastructure.” The Determination found... - [Rutgers Educators Fight for Climate-Safe New Jersey](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rutgers-educators-fight-for-climate-safe-new-jersey/): The faculty and graduate worker union at Rutgers University has stepped out to oppose a plan to haul liquified fracked gas across southern New Jersey. The Star-Ledger has just published an op ed by two union leaders explaining why... - [Union Alliance Calls for Electric School Buses](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-alliance-calls-for-electric-school-buses/): On May 31, autoworkers and teachers rallied in Washington, DC to call on states, local governments, and school districts around the country to electrify the nation’s school bus fleet with union-built, climate-safe, pollution-free electric school buses. - [Rhode Island Unions Help Win 100% Renewable Power by 2033](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rhode-island-unions-help-win-100-renewable-power-by-2033/): The Rhode Island legislature has just required that 100 percent of electricity sold in the state comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2033. That’s sooner than any other state in the country. - [Bridgeport CT Schools Seek Climate Safety for Teachers, Kids](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/bridgeport-ct-schools-seek-climate-safety-for-teachers-kids/): Local initiatives around the country are advancing the goals of the Green New Deal and Build Back Better. A good example is the Bridgeport Carbon Free & Healthy Schools campaign. The campaign was launched May 14 at Bridgeport Public Schools’ Volunteer Day, where members of the building trades, teachers, parents, and students worked to make improvements to a Bridgeport school. - [Unions Condemn Threat to Women’s Reproductive Rights](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-condemn-threat-to-womens-reproductive-rights/): The Supreme Court has just overruled the fifty-year-old Roe v. Wade decision that protected women’s reproductive rights. In anticipation of the decision, unions joined women’s, civil rights and liberties, and many other groups to decry the threat to women’s healthcare and their right to control their own bodies and lives: - [Unions Making a Green New Deal From Below–Part 2](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/unions-making-a-green-new-deal-from-below-part-2/): Workers and unions are among those who have the most to gain by climate protection that produces good jobs and greater equality. That’s why unions in the most diverse industries and occupations are creating their own Green New Deal-type programs in localities around the country. Here are some examples... - [Young Workers – Converge!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-converge/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is holding a Young Worker Convergence in Los Angeles on September 15th-18th. Its purpose is to bring together young workers who feel that unions and union members have a crucial role to play in responding to the climate crisis. - [Support the Poor People’s Campaign March in Washington!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/support-the-poor-peoples-campaign-march-in-washington/): Income inequality is the highest it has been in 100 years, and with that has come an all-out assault on the political and voting rights of working people. Add to that the devastating effects that Covid has had on workers lives and the economy, and onrushing economic and health impacts Climate Change are unleashing on workers and their families. We must build a mass movement that fights for working people on all fronts. - [Webinar on LNS Just Transition Report](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/webinar-on-lns-just-transition-report/): The Center for Global Work and Employment, Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) and Center for Environmental Justice at Colorado State University have recently sponsored a virtual discussion on the Just Transition Listening Project (JTLP)’s 2021 report Workers and Communities in Transition. You can watch the recording online on LEARN-TV. - [Clean Trucks and Fairly-Treated Truckers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/clean-trucks-and-fairly-treated-truckers/): Since truck deregulation, truck drivers are frequently misclassified as independent contractors rather than employees. That has turned much of truck driving from a well-paid, union-protected occupation to one with low wages, egregious working conditions, deprivation of benefits, and onerous costs that are shifted from the employer to the driver. How will new truck pollution regulations affect the workers who drive the trucks? - [Labor Leader Tefere Gebre Builds Labor-Climate Alliance at Greenpeace](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-leader-tefere-gebre-builds-labor-climate-alliance-at-greenpeace/): When Greenpeace boats formed a “floating picket” to support striking Chevron workers in Richmond, CA, one of those aboard was Tefere Gebre, until February the executive vice president of the AFL-CIO and now chief program officer at Greenpeace USA. Gebre described Greenpeace’s support for refinery workers as “a genuine attempt to build a transformational relationship” with the striking workers. - [Enviros Protect Steelworkers’ Backs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/enviros-protect-steelworkers-backs/): On April 29, activists from the environmental group Greenpeace USA and oil workers and Steelworkers Local 5 deployed a “boat picket” at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, CA composed of three Greenpeace boats floating in formation near the oil tanker delivery dock, with striking refinery workers, banners and picket signs on board. - [EPA Workers Demand Scientific Integrity in Their Union Contract](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/epa-workers-demand-scientific-integrity-in-their-union-contract/): The American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents 7,500 scientists, engineers, and other employees at the federal Environmental Protection Agency, is demanding a contract that insulates agency science from political interference. - [Starbucks Workers Catch “Union Contagion”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/starbucks-workers-catch-union-contagion/): In August 2021, workers at three Starbucks stores in and around Buffalo, New York, filed union election petitions with the National Labor Relations Board. In the eight months since, close to 250 other Starbucks stores have filed similar petitions. More than 40 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize. - [A Child Shall Lead Them—to Heat Pumps for Europe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-child-shall-lead-them-to-heat-pumps-for-europe/): While the Russian military continues to devastate Ukraine and the US sends billions for military aid to Ukraine, European countries continue to support the Russian war effort by purchasing Russian oil and gas. Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies reap a bonanza on shortages that are impoverishing American consumers at the gasoline pump. And even as climate catastrophe is causing still more devastating heatwaves, droughts, and floods those companies are planning to expand fossil fuel production to exploit the Ukraine crisis still more. - [Wisconsin Creates State Office of Environmental Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/wisconsin-creates-state-office-of-environmental-justice/): On Earth Day, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced an executive order creating a new office of environmental justice. The new office will work with farmers and rural communities, communities of color, Tribal Nations, state and local partners, and low-income populations, among other key stakeholders, the governor's office said. - [Unions Making a Green New Deal from Below–Part 1](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/unions-making-a-green-new-deal-from-below-part-1/): While Washington struggles over job and climate programs, unions around the country are making their own climate-protecting, justice-promoting jobs programs. - [Who We Are: Featured LNS Member](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-we-are-featured-lns-member-3/): Edgar Franks, LNS Board member since 2019, is the Washington State Campaign and Political Director for the independent union Familias Unidas por la Justicia where he works with union leadership and allies in the development and implementation of the Just Transition framework that centers food sovereignty and worker organizing in innovative models of participatory democracy, such as People’s Movement Assemblies and Tribunals. - [Read “The Future We Need”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/read-the-future-we-need/): LNS board member Sarita Gupta and Jobs with Justice leader Erica Smiley have just published a new book called The Future We Need, Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century. The book lays out ways to evolve collective bargaining to match the needs of modern people—not only changing their wages and working conditions, but being able to govern more aspects of their lives. - [Germany going fossil-free – and Protecting Fossil Fuel Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/germany-going-fossil-free-and-protecting-fossil-fuel-workers/): Germany, which imports around two-thirds of its gas from Russia and other former Soviet Union states and which aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, is planning to require nearly 100% renewable electricity by 2035. Robert Habeck, German’s economic affairs and climate minister, said Germany needs to triple its rate of emissions reductions. - [Unions Fight to Save Democracy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-fight-to-save-democracy/): According to an April 5 article in the Guardian, US labor leaders view this year’s elections – and 2024’s -- as “a goal-line stand to preserve America’s democracy.” Shane Larson, Director of Government Affairs for the Communications Workers of America, told the Guardian, “Many union leaders used to pooh-pooh talk about saving democracy. All that - [Want Peace? Go Fossil-Free](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-peace-go-fossil-free/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has endorsed the "Energy Security and Independence Act" (ESIA), sponsored by Senator Sanders and Representatives Bush and Crow. The legislation would take on the climate crisis, deny revenues to authoritarian petrostates, and invest in clean energy manufacturing and energy efficiency. - [Rhode Island’s Road to an “Equitable, Worker-Centered, Green Economy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rhode-islands-road-to-an-equitable-worker-centered-green-economy/): A new report from the Cornell University Worker Institute titled “Building a Just Transition for a Resilient Future: A Climate Jobs Program for Rhode Island” lays out “Rhode Island’s route to an equitable, worker-centered, green economy.” - [Warehouse Workers Call for Zero-Emission Trucks](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/warehouse-workers-call-for-zero-emission-trucks/): A growing convergence between climate protection and worker justice is embodied in a new report from Warehouse Workers for Justice titled “For Good Jobs and Clean Air: How a Just Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles Can Transform Warehousing”. - [A Green New Deal for Somerville, MA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-green-new-deal-for-somerville-ma/): Somerville, MA is an inner suburb of Boston with 81,000 residents undergoing rapid development – most of it non-union. In 2017, more than a dozen unions and several allies established Somerville Stands Together (SST), a community-labor coalition advocating a new orientation for development. - [IPCC Report Calls for “Just Transition”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ipcc-report-calls-for-just-transition/): The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasizes the need for immediate action to protect the climate and lays out detailed strategies for how to do it. The report includes a lengthy analysis of ‘just transitions’ in countering climate change. A just transition could entail that... - [Maine Raises Standards for Renewable Energy Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/maine-raises-standards-for-renewable-energy-jobs/): The Maine legislature has just passed legislation to raise the standards for clean energy jobs and advance equity in the renewable energy sector. - [United Mine Workers Partner for 350 Electric Battery Jobs in West Virginia](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/united-mine-workers-partner-for-350-electric-battery-jobs-in-west-virginia/): The United Mine Workers just announced that it will partner with energy startup SPARKZ to build an electric battery factory in West Virginia in 2022 that will employ 350 workers. The UMWA will recruit and train dislocated miners to be the factory’s first production workers. - [Want Peace? Ditch Fossil Fuels!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-peace-ditch-fossil-fuels/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has joined more than 610 organizations in 57 countries to call on world governments to ban Russian oil and gas and to rapidly phase out all fossil fuels in the name of peace. - [Climate-Safe Energy Production -- from Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-safe-energy-production-from-below-2/): Climate-safe energy is being produced locally all over the country in ways that also produce jobs and increase racial, social, and economic justice – fulfilling the basic principles of the Green New Deal. “Climate-Safe Energy Production – from Below,” a new commentary by Jeremy Brecher describes a range of those projects. - [Needed: Executive Action Against Climate Emergency](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/needed-executive-action-against-climate-emergency/): The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which represents 98 members of the House of Representatives, has just called on President Biden to declare a climate emergency, jumpstart renewable and just energy production, ban federal fossil fuel leasing, end fossil fuel subsidies, and take executive actions aimed at advancing environmental justice and making clean air and water accessible for all. - [New Maine Labor Climate Council Calls for Jobs Protecting the Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-maine-labor-climate-council-calls-for-jobs-protecting-the-climate/): A dozen Maine unions launched a new coalition this March to push for pro-labor environmental initiatives. The coalition, called the Maine Labor Climate Council, include... - [Voters Support Green New Deal Two-to-One](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/voters-support-green-new-deal-two-to-one/): New polling finds the Green New Deal is incredibly popular. The think-tank Data for Progress asked voters whether they supported each of three laws embodying basic elements of the Green New Deal. After they heard descriptions and price tags of the Green New Deal for Cities, the Green New Deal for Public Schools, and the Green New Deal for Public Housing Acts, likely voters supported each by way more than two-thirds of voters. - [Make the Postal Service Green and Union](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/make-the-postal-service-green-and-union/): This March Congress passed the Postal Service Reform Act after 15 years of effort by labor and allies to fund and strengthen the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The Act includes crucial objectives of postal worker unions: It ensures the USPS is financially stable, ends the destructive pre-funding retiree health care benefits mandate, and guarantees six-day delivery reforms. - [Who We Are: Featured LNS Member](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-we-are-featured-lns-member-2/): Joel Batterman began working as a consultant with LNS in the fall of 2021, assisting with outreach for Transit Equity Day and conducting consultations with Transit Equity Day participants to help guide the future of the event. - [Fossil Fuel Phaseout–From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/fossil-fuel-phaseout-from-below/): Protecting the climate requires rapidly reducing the extraction of fossil fuels. That’s a crucial part of the Green New Deal. While the federal government has done little so far to reduce fossil fuel production, people and governments all over the country are taking steps on their own to cut down the extraction of coal, oil, and gas. - [Who We Are: Featured LNS Member](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/who-we-are-featured-lns-member/): Liz Ratzloff started working with LNS in October 2021 to research how the workforce will be affected by the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and how we can ensure a Just Transition for workers and communities in the transportation sector. - [Workers and Riders Unite for Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-and-riders-unite-for-transit-equity-day/): For the past four years on February 4, Labor Network for Sustainability and a network of transit rider unions, community organizations, environmental groups and labor unions have organized Transit Equity Day (TED)–a national day of action to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks by declaring public transit a civil right. This year, TED made a big splash. Two states (Wisconsin and Minnesota) passed formal proclamations that declared February 4th Transit Equity Day—as did dozens of cities. Local transit activists organized more than 60 events across the country, LNS hosted a massive livestream, and we launched a transit equity workforce investment report with some of our partners! - [Environmental Groups Call on Green Building Community to Stop Partnering With Kingspan Group, Global Manufacturer of Building Materials](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/environmental-groups-call-on-green-building-community-to-stop-partnering-with-kingspan-group-global-manufacturer-of-building-materials/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 3, 2022 CONTACT: Lauren Burke (301) 244-9848 Meredith Schafer (202) 662-0883 Santa Ana, Calif. — Forty-five (45) local and national groups organizing against climate change and for environmental justice have signed a statement calling on the green building community to reconsider partnerships with Kingspan Group, an Ireland-based global manufacturer of insulation - [“Future is Union: Climate Urgency through the Eyes of Workers” photo contest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/future-is-union-climate-urgency-through-the-eyes-of-workers-photo-contest/): Don’t miss your chance to enter the “Future is Union: Climate Urgency through the Eyes of Workers” photo contest! Submit a photo that shows what climate work means to you and win up to $500! - [Postal Service Reform Moves Forward -- If We All Help](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/postal-service-reform-moves-forward-if-we-all-help/): After years of facing challenges to their very existence as public service workers, the workers of the US Postal Service are close to finally achieving a measure of security with the February 8 passage of the Postal Service Reform Act in the House of Representatives by a vote of 342-92. The Bill now moves to the Senate and the unions are asking all of their members, family, friends, and supporters to call your US Senators to urge a YES vote on the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 by calling: 1-833-924-0085. - [How You Can Join the Green Workers Alliance](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-you-can-join-the-green-workers-alliance/): The Green Workers Alliance is a new multiracial organization that fights for more and better green jobs. More than 400 workers have already joined GWA online. On-the-ground organizing will begin in Virginia and other southeastern states this spring. - [Getting Infrastructure Dollars for Your Union and Community](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/getting-infrastructure-dollars-for-your-union-and-community/): The federal rollout of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA” - colloquially known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”) is now beginning... - [1100 Groups Call on Biden to Build Back Fossil Free](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/1100-groups-call-on-biden-to-build-back-fossil-free/): The Labor Network for Sustainability joined more than 1,100 organizations in a letter asking President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and to use his executive authority to fight climate change. It called for Biden to keep his promise that “environmental justice will be at the center of all we do addressing the disproportionate health and environmental and economic impacts on communities of color.” - [Court Blocks Giant Gulf Fossil Fuel Lease Sale](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/court-blocks-giant-gulf-fossil-fuel-lease-sale/): In November 2022 the Biden Administration prepared to sell oil and gas permits for 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico – the largest such sale in US history. Now a federal court has halted the sale because of the failure to adequately assess the impact on climate change. - [Tom Morello: “Rhythm is the Rebel”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/tom-morello-rhythm-is-the-rebel/): Tom Morello has also walked the tightrope of rock and politics, rock and labor, and now rock and climate change. Inspired by Joe Strummer and the music of the Clash -- wearing a Clash t-shirt with “the future is unwritten” over the heart -- Tom has set out to make his mark in creating a future where everyone prospers, and the planet thrives. His advice to activists: “Dream big and don’t settle. Aim for the world you really want without compromise or apology. Find the courage, and help others find theirs, to forge a more humane, just, and peaceful planet.” - [LNS and 45 Environmental Groups Call on the Green Building Community to Stop Partnering with Kingspan](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-and-45-environmental-groups-call-on-the-green-building-community-to-stop-partnering-with-kingspan/): Labor Network for Sustainability is proud to be among 45 climate and environmental justice groups calling on the green building community to stop partnering with Kingspan, an international building materials company that's so-called ‘green’ manufacturing processes are polluting the indoor air and local watershed (learn more here). - [Grassroots Green New Deal Is Producing Jobs and Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/grassroots-green-new-deal-is-producing-jobs-and-justice/): Climate-safe energy is being produced locally all over the country in ways that also produce jobs and increase racial, social, and economic justice – fulfilling the basic principles of the Green New Deal. - [Negawatts–From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/negawatts-from-below/): Tired of waiting for the Green New Deal? Thousands of individuals and communities, cities, and states are taking climate protection into their own hands by creating their own “Green New Deal from Below.” This commentary portrays how people are using energy efficiency and conservation locally to realize the climate, jobs, and justice goals of the Green New Deal. - [Climate-Safe Energy Production–From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/climate-safe-energy-production-from-below/): Climate-safe energy is being produced locally all over the country in ways that also produce jobs and increase racial, social, and economic justice – fulfilling the basic principles of the Green New Deal. - [Citizen Pilgrim: Richard Falk and Me](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/citizen-pilgrim-richard-falk-and-me/): As the world’s governments escalate the threat of human annihilation through climate change, nuclear holocaust, and burgeoning injustice, it is hard to see what alternative world order could restrain their depredations – let alone how such a world order could be achieved. Richard Falk is one of the few thinkers who has addressed those questions both in his writings and in his life. In this commentary I tell the story of his impact on me over the past half century to suggest what we all can learn from him. - [Time for a Climate Insurgency?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/time-for-a-climate-insurgency/): The leaders of the world’s countries gathered in Glasgow signed a death warrant for the world’s people. Is there anything the world’s people can do about it? To answer effectively, human solidarity may have to challenge the very legitimacy of the nation-state system. - [The Green New Deal–From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-green-new-deal-from-below/): The Green New Deal is a visionary program to protect the earth’s climate while creating good jobs, reducing injustice, and eliminating poverty. Its core principle is to use the necessity for climate protection as a basis for realizing full employment and social justice. - [The Blue New Deal: Making a Living on a Living Ocean](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-blue-new-deal-making-a-living-on-a-living-ocean/): During CNN’s Democratic presidential town hall on the climate crisis in September, a one-time oysterman from Connecticut told candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren: My farm was destroyed by two hurricanes. Now warming waters and acidification is killing seed, coast to coast and reducing yields. Those of us that work on the water need climate solutions, and we need them now. The trouble is, the Green New Deal only mentions our oceans one time. This is despite the fact that our seas soak up more than 25% of the world’s carbon. So what's your plan for a Blue New Deal for those of us working on the ocean? How do we make sure we can make a living on a living planet? - [How to Protect Workers While Protecting the Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/just-transition/how-to-protect-workers-while-protecting-the-climate/): To protect against catastrophic global warming, the United States is preparing to rapidly reduce the burning of fossil fuels–coal, oil, and natural gas. As we transition to a climate safe economy, many people ask, “What about the workers who will lose their jobs in fossil fuels and other polluting industries?” - [Young Worker Listening Project](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-worker-listening-project/): Preliminary results from a survey by LNS’s Young Workers Listening Project provides a startling picture of what young workers think about climate and labor. According to a just-released article in The Forge... - [A ‘Place-Based’ Just Transition is Possible](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/renowned-labor-and-environmental-justice-leader-calls-for-place-based-just-transition-to-empower-aapi-communities/): As with many organizers drawn to work with the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Pamela Tau Lee saw first-hand the workplace cruelties and injustices of her ancestors and throughout the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities when she was a young girl. Founder of the Chinese Pacific Association and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Tau Lee recently shared her experience at APALA’s 16th Convention themed, “Rooted in Legacy: Towards a New World Beyond Borders & Across Oceans,” of which she was the opening keynote. - [Time for Public Transit to Roll](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/time-for-public-transit-to-roll/): As part of President Biden’s Build Back Better plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) passed by the U.S. Senate on August 10, 2021 includes $39 billion in new spending for transit. The bill is now in the House where it will be considered with the overall reconciliation package. - [LNS Executive Director Testifies Before House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Expresses Support of the Justice40 Initiative](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/lns-executive-director-testifies-before-house-committee-on-oversight-and-reform-expresses-support-of-the-justice40-initiative/): ‘The Goal of Creating Good Jobs and Protecting Our Environment Are Not Incompatible,’ Recommends Ways to Protect Workers Amid a Shift to a Green Economy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 21, 2021 Contact: Judy Asman (She/her) 714-651-6170 WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday morning, July 21, 2021, Executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability, Michael Leon - [Transit Equity Network Calls on Congress to Pass Legislation that Truly Supports Accessible, Safe and Equitable Transit in Support of H.R.3744](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/transit-equity-network-calls-on-congress-to-pass-legislation-that-truly-supports-accessible-safe-and-equitable-transit-in-support-of-h-r-3744/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2021 Contact: Judy Asman (She/her) 714-651-6170 NATIONWIDE – The network of transit riders, community organizations, environmental groups, and labor unions responsible for organizing Transit Equity Day annually on Rosa Parks’ birthday to declare transit equity as a civil right have issued an Open Letter to Congress in support H.R. 3744, - [The Great Depression and the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-great-depression-and-the-coronavirus-depression/): In the first year of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the ensuing Coronavirus Depression, “people power” played a little-acknowledged but critical role–recounted in the previous commentaries in this series–in protecting health and economic wellbeing. Despite change in the national political context, they are continuing into the Biden era. Movements utilizing people power direct action may be just as important in this era. - [Rutgers Divests!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rutgers-divests/): Members of Rutgers American Association of University Professors - American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT) are joining with student allies in celebrating a vote to divest from fossil fuels by the Rutgers Board of Governors and Board of Trustees. - [LNS Prez Says Biden Facing “Difficult Balancing Act”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-prez-says-biden-facing-difficult-balancing-act/): An NPR “All Things Considered” news story produced by Don Gonyea, “Biden Infrastructure Plan Aims To Please Both Labor And Environmentalists,” recently featured LNS President Joe Uehlein. - [How to "Build Back Better"](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-to-build-back-better/): Graphic: Sierra Club. Anyone interested in how to address the concerns of both labor and environmentalists in upcoming legislation should take a look at the new Sierra Club report “How to Build Back Better: A 10-year Plan for Economic Renewal.” Although the Sierra Club is an environmental organization - in fact, the country’s largest–this “blueprint for economic renewal” - [Why the PRO Act Matters](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/why-the-pro-act-matters/): The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act, perhaps the most significant labor law reform legislation since the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, often known as “Labor’s Magna Carta,” establishing the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively. A recent Op-Ed says that “the PRO Act would - [Ride Your Bike for Climate, Jobs and Justice in NYC–April 24](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ride-your-bike-for-climate-jobs-and-justice-in-nyc-april-24/): How do we spread the word about what it will take to have an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the crises of climate, jobs, healthcare, racism and democracy that it has so aggravated? Members of New York’s large DC37 union have an innovative way: The DC37 Bike Ride for Climate, Jobs and Justice. On - [Does Shale Gas Extraction Grow Jobs?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/does-shale-gas-extraction-grow-jobs/): Over the past decade, many communities, especially impoverished rural communities in Appalachia, have been pitched the idea that extracting natural gas would be the solution to their economic problems. Vast amounts of gas were indeed extracted. But a new report from the Ohio River Valley Institute shows that the benefits did not flow to local communities - [Making a Living on a Living Planet](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-a-living-on-a-living-planet-2/): by Joe Uehlein; cross-posted with Common Dreams September 2014 On Labor Day 1940, American workers faced the aftermath of the Great Depression, with mass unemployment persisting and a divided labor movement facing a renewed counterattack from corporate America. They were barely becoming aware of an even greater threat, one that would determine the future of - [Jeremy Brecher's Strike! 50th Anniversary Symposium, Keynote by Sara Nelson](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/jeremy-brechers-strike-50th-anniversary-symposium-keynote-by-sara-nelson/): Rutgers LEARN, the Center for Innovation in Worker Organization (CIWO), and the Labor Network for Sustainability present: Strike! A 50th Anniversary Symposium - [The Future of People Power in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-future-of-people-power-in-the-coronavirus-depression/): What can we learn from the role of people power in the Great Depression and in the first year of the Coronavirus Depression? Based on the seven preceding commentaries on the New Deal and the popular movements of 2020, this commentary maintains that popular direct action can play a significant role in shaping the Biden era. It examines the emerging political context and suggests guidelines for navigating the complex landscape that lies ahead. - [Joe Uehlein on the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/joe-uehlein-on-the-green-new-deal/): On Monday, February 18, 2019, Chris Bangert-Drowns, a senior reporter with WPFW, the Pacifica Radio affiliate in Washington, D.C. spoke with LNS founding president Joe Uehlein about the Green New Deal and the tepid response from some unions. - [](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/14295/): A few months ago, the national Green New Deal Network, along with nearly 100 Congressional endorsers and a range of climate and national union endorsers, - [LNS Calls for Climate-Safe Infrastructure Not Line 3 and Dakota Access Tar Sands Pipelines](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-calls-for-climate-safe-infrastructure-not-line-3-and-dakota-access-tar-sands-pipelines/): The Labor Network for Sustainability calls for a halt to the Line 3 Pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipeline and other climate-destroying fossil-fuel infrastructure of the past. It calls instead to start creating the jobs of the future building the climate-safe infrastructure of the future. - [Coal Communities Ask Biden Administration for Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/coal-communities-ask-biden-administration-for-just-transition/): Labor leaders, economic development groups and environmentalists from coal states recently wrote to President Joe Biden to fund a “just transition” from coal to renewable energy. They also asked the administration last week in a letter to immediately establish a White House Office of Economic Transition to work on rebuilding the economies of coal communities. - [Time for Turbines!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/time-for-turbines/): According to a recent Op-Ed in the New Jersey Star-Ledger, wind energy is going to mean union jobs. The Op-Ed, “Steelworkers and Windmills–Perfect Together,” co-authored by Del Vitale, Director of District 4 for the United Steelworkers and Debra Coyle McFadden, Executive Director for the New Jersey Work Environment Council–both organizations that are partners in the Jersey Renews coalition, which recently sponsored the Time for Turbines Conference. - [New York City Pension Funds Ditching Fossil Fuels](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-york-city-pension-funds-ditching-fossil-fuels/): New York City’s largest pension funds have voted to divest from companies related to fossil fuels. The $4 billion divestment is one of the largest in the country and the first time a major city has committed to complete divestment of fossil fuel holdings. - [Climate Justice + Organized Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-justice-organized-labor/): In case you missed the February 11, 2021 webinar "Climate Justice + Labor Organizing," hosted by Saren Glenn Vincent of the Power Shift Network, you can watch it here. Featuring Labor Network for Sustainability Young Worker Project Organizer Joshua Dedmond and Kayla Soren, Executive Director of International Student Environmental Coalition, this webinar introduces viewers to labor - [Walmart Day of Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/walmart-day-of-action/): In February, the International Union of Electronic Workers - Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) held actions at Walmart locations around the U.S. to save jobs for workers who manufacture LED light bulbs produced by Walmart, who recently announced plans to move production to China. - [Essential Workers and Renewable Energy: Key Themes During Community Hearing on Transit Equity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/essential-workers-and-renewable-energy-key-themes-during-community-hearing-on-transit-equity/): With nearly eight hours of testimony by more than 50 essential workers and riders, both live and pre-recorded, the Community Hearing on Transit Equity, which took place on Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, provided an intentional space for those wanting to share their plights brought on by transit service cuts during the pandemic and with greater threats to transit funding. - [From 1955 to Today, Recognition of Struggle is Key to Transit Equity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/from-1955-to-today-recognition-of-struggle-is-key-to-transit-equity/): Claudette Colvin was no standard 15-year old. When she was that age, she sat down on a Montgomery, Alabama bus and refused to give up her seat to a white person. She was arrested and wrongfully charged with assault and battery. Despite being just 15 at the time of her arrest, Colvin was booked into a cell in Montgomery’s adult jail. When Colvin’s pastor, Reverend H.H. Johnson bailed her out the evening of her arrest, he told her that she had “just brought the revolution to Montgomery.” - [Only Weeks for a Rescue](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/11899/): After many months of Republican stonewalling the HEROES Act, in December, Congress finally passed a totally inadequate bill to address the hardship of people hit by the COVID-19 depression. Now newly elected president Joe Biden is proposing new legislation–aptly dubbed the Rescue Act. - [Climate and Jobs: Proposals for the Biden Agenda](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-and-jobs-proposals-for-the-biden-agenda/): The Biden administration is preparing its Build Back Better program. The initial focus will undoubtedly be on recovery–from both the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis. But Build Back Better opens the possibility for major commitments both to climate protection and to protection of worker rights and racial justice. - [#StopLine3 Pipeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/stopline3-pipeline/): There is a massive pipeline underway in northern Minnesota that violates Indigenous rights and would carry the pollution equivalent to 50 coal power plants. Sign the petition to call for the immediate stop of Line 3 - [Connecticut Labor-Climate Movement Pushing Just Transition Law](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/connecticut-labor-climate-movement-pushing-just-transition-law/): Labor-climate advocates in Connecticut have just proposed a Climate and Community Investment Act. Modeled on a similar bill in New York, its goal is to be sure green jobs created in Connecticut are good jobs, and that they are filled by Connecticut workers. Advocates describe it as an economic relief bill. - [Green Workers: Organize!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-workers-organize/): A project of the Partnership for Working Families, the Green Workers Alliance was recently launched to organize current and potential “green workers” to win policies that can create good jobs by fighting climate change. - [Union Pension Fund Divestment Webinar December 10](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-pension-fund-divestment-webinar-december-10/): The Labor Network for Sustainability, Democratic Socialists of America and 350.org invite union members, labor organizers and divestment campaigners to a city and state divestment webinar on Dec 10 at 8pm ET. Please join us and circulate widely. Facebook event and advertising graphics coming later this week - [New York State Divests Pension Funds from Fossil Fuels](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-york-state-divests-pension-funds-from-fossil-fuels/): New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has announced that New York State’s Common Retirement Fund, valued at over $226 billion, will decarbonize by 2040. The plan includes interim trajectory goals, rigorous reporting, staff hiring, and transparency. - [International Labor: Climate and Youth Together](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/international-labor-climate-and-youth-together/): On Wednesday, December 9, 2020, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), for which Burrow is General Secretary, hosted a conversation between youth climate activists and national and international trade union leaders from Australia, Belgium Germany, India, Ireland, the Philippines, and the European Union. - [What Use Is a Good Job If You Don’t Have a Home to Come Home To?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-use-is-a-good-job-if-you-dont-have-a-home-to-come-home-to/): Congressional candidate Mike Siegal may have lost the 2020 congressional election in Texas’ 10th district, but the video above posted by Sunrise Movement shows why he won the support of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 520 and the Texas AFL-CIO with his campaign for a Green New Deal. - [The Biden Climate Plan: Part 2: An Arena of Struggle](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-biden-climate-plan-part-2-an-arena-of-struggle/): The climate plan released by Joe Biden in August presents a wide-ranging program for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The previous commentary, “The Biden Climate Plan: Part 1: What It Proposes” summarizes that plan. This commentary identifies the points of conflict on climate policy and related social policies that are likely to emerge within a Biden administration. It concludes by assessing how advocates of a Green New Deal can take advantage of the Biden program to fight for a climate-safe, worker-friendly, socially-just outcome. - [Forward Together #GivingTuesday](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/10459/): #GivingTuesday, happening tomorrow, Dec. 1, is an opportunity for people to use their individual power of generosity to support the communities that are important to them. Whether you’ve just discovered one of our Just Transition Listening Project webinars or have been with us since we first started working to bridge the labor and environmental movements more than a dozen years ago, we thank you for being a part of the LNS community! - [Mark Your Calendars: Transit Equity Days 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mark-your-calendars-transit-equity-days-2021/): With the dawning of a new era, the Labor Network for Sustainability and allies are more excited than ever to host Transit Equity Days (yes “Days”) 2021. Official announcements of Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, 2021 actions will kick off on Monday, Dec. 21, the same day Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition hosts its Virtual Rally: Baltimore Transit Equity Solidarity Day. - [The Role of States in the New Deal – and the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-role-of-states-in-the-new-deal-and-the-green-new-deal/): With the likelihood of a federal government sharply divided between Republicans and Democrats, states are likely to play an expanded role in shaping the American future. The aspirations for a Green New Deal may have support from the presidency and the House, but they are likely to be fiercely contested in the Senate and perhaps the Supreme Court. Bold action to address climate and inequality could emerge at the state level. - [A Just Transition for Labor: What Will It Take?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-just-transition-for-labor-what-will-it-take/): The science is clear on climate change: we must rapidly phase out fossil fuels. But tens of thousands of workers have jobs in fossil fuel and related industries. How do we secure a just transition that guarantees good jobs with benefits for these workers in the new clean energy economy? - [How Many Green Jobs Can Be Created in Your State?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-many-green-jobs-can-be-created-in-your-state/): The Economic Policy Institute writes, When the United States invests in clean energy, energy efficiency and infrastructure, and expands exports, we will rebuild American manufacturing and the U.S. economy, generating nearly 7 million good-paying jobs. - [Building Trades Sign Landmark Agreement for Off-Shore Wind Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/building-trades-sign-landmark-agreement-for-off-shore-wind-jobs/): North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) has just signed an agreement with Ørsted Offshore North America to create a national agreement designed to transition U.S. union construction workers into the offshore wind industry in collaboration with the leadership of the 14 U.S. NABTU affiliates and the AFL-CIO. - [Driving Green Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/driving-green-jobs/): This year many states have made bold moves to electrify transit. Not only is expanded public transit a crucial means to reduce climate-destroying greenhouse gases, it is also a crucial way to expand good, family-sustaining jobs through the transition to a green, electric-powered economy. - [People Power in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/people-power-in-the-coronavirus-depression-2/): The Coronavirus pandemic and the economic depression accompanying it are already engendering new movements of both employed and unemployed workers. A series of commentaries by labor historian and Labor Network for Sustainability Research and Policy Director Jeremy Brecher describe how millions of people are experimenting with ways to address their problems through collective action in the COVID-19 era. - [People Power in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/people-power-in-the-coronavirus-depression/): The Coronavirus pandemic and the economic depression accompanying it are already engendering new movements of both employed and unemployed workers. In some ways these resemble the worker and unemployed movements that emerged in the first years of the Great Depression; in other ways they are very different. - [Florida's Ray of Optimism–Central Florida Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/floridas-ray-of-optimism-central-florida-climate-action/): If you’ve been paying attention to news about Florida, the so-called “Sunshine State” may appear to fall short in the areas of public safety and economic empowerment. This past summer alone, mainstream media focused on the state’s long history of election woes [1] (usually a trending topic come election time), wreckless decision-making by its Governor, who lifted COVID restrictions despite the growing number of cases and fatalities[2], and Disney World layoffs to the tune of 6,700 non-union employees[3], which were announced practically in the same breath as the $150 million price tag on Disney’s Orlando-based 2020 NBA Bubble[4]. - [Florida's Ray of Optimism–Central Florida Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/floridas-ray-of-optimism-central-florida-climate-action-2/): At its Aug. 26 launch, CFCA showcased this poignant portrayal of how slow government response to Hurricane Maria left thousands of Puerto Rican residents displaced in Central Florida. Watch the video » - [Vote–And Count Every Vote!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/vote-and-count-every-vote/): Donald Trump, significantly behind in the polls, appears to be laying the groundwork for illegally attempting to remain in office if he loses the election. Labor organizations around the country are mobilizing to preserve democracy against Trump’s threat of a coup. - [Climate Jobs and Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-jobs-and-just-transition/): Rhiana Gunn-Wright - Director of Climate Policy, Roosevelt Institute helped kick off the Sept. 22, 2020 Climate Jobs and Just Transition Summit at the Opening Lightening Around with powerful remarks about climate justice. - [Young Workers and Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/young-workers-and-just-transition/): Aug. 26 the Labor Network for Sustainability and friends hosted "Young Workers and Just Transition," the fourth in a series of webinars as part of the Just Transition Listening Project. - [Let Young Workers Know Their Rights!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/let-young-workers-know-their-rights/): From the This is Zero Hour Facebook page. Eighteen-year-old Zero Hour founder Jamie Margolin recently published her book, "Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It," which is intended to serve as "the ultimate guide to being a young activist.⁣" The book, along with "Zero Hour's Getting to The Roots of Climate Change" have educated young people on topics not usually included in their school curricula. - [PPE for All: Unions and Enviros File Emergency Lawsuit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ppe-for-all-unions-and-enviros-file-emergency-lawsuit/): Solidarity tweet by Rep. Rashida Tlaib on the lawsuit against the federal government for failing to invoke the Defense Production Act, filed by the highly revered LNS ally Center for Biological Diversity. - [Here’s Why We Must Save the Post Office](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/heres-why-we-must-save-the-post-office/): We use it to write our loved ones, we use it to vote, we use it to get our medications–it's just there, and we count on it to do what we need without fuss or bother. But with President Trump and his Republican allies fighting to hamstring and eventually destroy it, the US Postal Service needs support from all who benefit from it. - [International Day of Giving](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/international-day-of-giving/): #Giving Tuesday, happening December 1, is an opportunity for people to use their individual power of generosity to support the communities that are important to them. Whether you’ve just discovered one of our Just Transition Listening Project webinars or have been with us since we first started working to bridge the labor and environmental movements more than a dozen years ago, we’re glad you’re a part of the LNS community! - [How Workers Can Help Defeat a Trump Coup](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/how-workers-can-help-defeat-a-trump-coup/): In a fiery October 10 speech, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign CEO, said that at 10 or 11 o'clock November 3 Trump is going to walk into the Oval Office “having won Ohio, and being up in Pennsylvania and Florida,” and he's going to say, “Hey, game's over.” - [Social Self-Defense Against the Impending Trump Coup](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/social-self-defense-against-the-impending-trump-coup/): Photo: Corazon Aquino swears in as President of the Philippines at Club Filipino, San Juan on February 25, 1986 Wikimedia Commons. Even before the 2016 election, Donald Trump hinted that if he lost he might not accept the outcome. Now, far behind in the polls, Trump is taking action to disrupt the 2020 election and laying obvious groundwork for refusing to leave office if he loses. - [THRIVE Agenda Shows the Way for Economic Recovery and Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/thrive-agenda-shows-the-way-for-economic-recovery-and-climate-action/): “Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy” – the initials spell THRIVE. It’s a new economic renewal plan recently endorsed by the Labor Network for Sustainability. It provides a bold and forward-looking agenda to address the interlocking issues of racist policy, global pandemic, and ongoing climate crisis. - [Sunrise and Central Labor Council: Together at Last](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/sunrise-and-central-labor-council-together-at-last/): On Saturday, September 9, at 6 a.m., a crowd of approximately 40 young people marched down Country Club road in Greensboro, North Carolina, before stopping in front of the home of U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to demand his resignation for his attacks on the United States Postal Service and mail-in voting. - [California Burning](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/california-burning/): California is now facing the most devastating effects of climate change in its history. Within two weeks in August, the state experienced a record heat wave with 130 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley, which may be the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. - ['A stable climate system is quite literally the foundation of society'–Oregon Federal District Court](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-stable-climate-system-is-quite-literally-the-foundation-of-society-oregon-federal-district-court/): When 21 children and youth sued the federal government demanding that it halt policies that are destroying their Constitutional right to life and liberty, many legal commentators were skeptical that courts would give any legitimacy to such a claim. - [Worker Action in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/worker-action-in-the-coronavirus-depression/): How are workers responding to the threats to their health and livelihood created by the COVID-19 pandemic? A new series by labor historian and LNS director of policy and research Jeremy Brecher describes wide-ranging but underreported action. The series starts with a historical look backward at how workers used Unemployed Councils, self-help mutual aid, and - [Workers vs. the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/workers-vs-the-coronavirus-depression/): While the number of trade union strikes this year are lower than previous years, there have so far been hundreds of wildcat strikes without union authorization, primarily in the fight for worker safety amid COVID and racial justice. The Strike for Black Lives, which took place on July 20, 2020 is one such example. - [Striking in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/striking-in-the-coronavirus-depression/): In response to COVID-19 and the COVID-19 Depression, workers have developed unique strategies and forms of organization to protect their lives and livelihoods. We saw in “Fighting the Great Depression -- from Below” how in the early years of the Great Depression conventional trade union strikes became a rarity, but workers organized themselves in community-based, “horizontal” ways to fight for their survival. This commentary and the next describe the emergence of strikes for protection against COVID-19. This series will conclude with an evaluation of the prospects of “people power” in the Coronavirus Depression. - [A Plan for Black Lives in the Coronavirus Emergency](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/a-plan-for-black-lives-in-the-coronavirus-emergency/): Black people are two-and-a-half times as likely as White people to catch COVID-19 and substantially more likely to be unemployed as a result of the pandemic. George Floyd, in addition to being murdered by racist police, was infected by COVID-19 and lost his job when the restaurant he worked for closed because of the pandemic. - [Fighting the Great Depression From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/fighting-the-great-depression/): The United States has entered the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. This commentary describes the grassroots movements of the early years of the Great Depression in order to learn something about the dynamics of popular response to depression conditions. These early unemployed, self-help, labor, and other movements helped lay the groundwork for the New Deal and the massive labor struggles of the later 1930s. - [Teachers Union Supports Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/teachers-union-supports-green-new-deal/): At its July convention, the American Federation of Teachers adopted a resolution backing the Green New Deal proposal to counter climate change. - [Alameda Labor Council Calls for a Green Recovery](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/alameda-labor-council-calls-for-a-green-recovery/): The Alameda Labor Council, which represents 135,000 workers in 135 unions in California’s Bay Area, just passed a resolution endorsing a “Green Recovery” for these purposes... - [Feel the Heat? Climate Change Threatens Workers Health](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/feel-the-heat-climate-change-threatens-workers-health/): A new report, “On the Front Lines: Climate Change Threatens the Health of America’s Workers,” was recently released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the BlueGreen Alliance, and several labor organizations. It includes 14 first-hand stories from outdoor and indoor workers impacted by climate change. - [Unions Back Plan to Protect Workers in Culver City Oil Plant Closing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-back-plan-to-protect-workers-in-culver-city-oil-plant-closing/): More than one million people live within five miles of the massive Inglewood Oil Field, the largest urban oil field in the nation, sprawled across Culver City and the historically African American neighborhood of Baldwin Hills. - [UFCW Tracing COVID Cases for its 1.3 Million Members](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ufcw-tracing-covid-cases-for-its-1-3-million-members/): The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has a form on their website, which members can use to report health and safety concerns from COVID-19. - [Center for Biological Diversity, Unions, Advocates, File Legal Petition for #PPENow](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/center-for-biological-diversity-unions-advocates-file-legal-petition-for-ppenow/): Thirty labor and environmental organizations nationwide have petitioned the federal government demanding the Trump administration use the Defense Production Act to get personal protective equipment to essential workers. The emergency rule-making petition has been sent to the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security. It requests a nationwide inventory, increased production and prioritized distribution of respirators, gloves, - [“Strike for Black Lives” Redefines Worker Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/strike-for-black-lives-redefines-worker-action/): Watch the livestream from the July 20 Strike for Black Lives on the Service Employees International Union Facebook page. - [Save the Post Office!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/save-the-post-office/): On Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Highland Park–Los Angeles, County–California, Angelinos stood with postal workers to demand respect, while joining thousands around the country to call for $25 billion in funding and the reversal of service cuts. "It's the people's post office!," one sign says. - [Self-Help in the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/self-help-in-the-coronavirus-depression/): In the early years of the Great Depression of the 1930s, unemployed and impoverished workers turned to dramatic forms of self-help to survive. Anti-eviction “riots” led by organizations of the unemployed made it possible to protect hundreds of thousands of families from being evicted from their homes and ultimately forced government in many cities to halt evictions. - [The Unemployed vs. the Coronavirus Depression](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-unemployed-vs-the-coronavirus-depression/): Forty million people or more have lost their jobs since the beginning of March. Including those not actively looking for work, nearly half of adults are jobless. While some of those initially laid off have returned to work, others who thought their layoffs were temporary have been reclassified as fired permanently. - [#SenateFail Day of Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/senatefail-day-of-action/): Six feet apart but together in spirit: Scranton educators tell Sen. Pat Toomey to pass the HEROES Act. “Pat Toomey and the rest of the Republicans who control the U.S. Senate need to step up and pass the HEROES Act,” says Arthur Steinberg, president of AFT Pennsylvania. “It has been nearly two months since the House passed the act, which would provide $3.2 billion in education funding to Pennsylvania. It’s long past time for the Senate to do likewise in order to ensure safe reopening of schools this fall.” Photo credit: American Federation of Teachers. - [Fight Like Hell for the Living](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/fight-like-hell-for-the-living/): As part of the campaign for Personal Protective Equipment and proper public health standards for workers, on July 14 the Labor Network for Sustainability launched “In Memoriam,” a new video honoring essential workers who have lost their lives after exposure to COVID-19. - [Farmworkers Unionize for COVID Safety](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/farmworkers-unionize-for-covid-safety/): On May 7, 50 workers at Allan Bros fruit packing factory in Naches, Washington, walked off the job demanding hazard pay, paid time off, health protection measures, and greater transparency about coronavirus threats. Ten days later the strike had spread to six Yakima Valley fruit packing houses. - [Strike for Black Lives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/strike-for-black-lives/): On July 21, the Labor Network for Sustainability joined more than fifty unions, civil rights organizations, environmental groups, and others in the first Strike for Black Lives. Lead organizers of the action were the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL). - [LNS Webinar Explores the Origins of 'Just Transition'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-webinar-explores-the-origins-of-just-transition/): “Just Transition” has become one of the most common—and most controversial—themes in the Labor-Climate movement. On July 22, the Labor Network for Sustainability helped illuminate the idea with a webinar on "Just Transition: Love It, Hate It - You’ve Heard the Term, Now Hear the Story." - [The Pandemic May Be a Preview of Our Climate Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-pandemic-may-be-a-preview-of-our-climate-future/): Todd E. Vachon, faculty coordinator of the Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and an active trade unionist and member of the Labor Network for Sustainability, recently wrote an article in the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Warning that “The Pandemic May Be a Preview of Our Climate Future.” - [Protecting Workers from Extreme Heat](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/protecting-workers-from-extreme-heat/): The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has recently released a report on “Solving the Climate Crisis” calling for a federal heat safety standard. - [Save the U.S. Postal Service!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/action/savetheusps-july-23-day-of-action/): Join the Labor Network for Sustainability as we rally for America's most cherished institution, the United States Postal Service. - [#SenateFail #DoYourJob July 8 Day of Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/senatefail-doyourjob-july-8-day-of-action/): On July 2nd, the Senate will head home for vacation having done nothing to effectively address systemic racial injustice, respond to the public health and economic crises spurred by the Coronavirus pandemic or fund essential services to provide relief to communities and workers. - ['Black Workers and Just Transition' Inspires, Engages and Uplifts](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/black-workers-and-just-transition-inspires-engages-and-uplifts/): For 75 minutes on Wednesday night, June 24, an esteemed group of speakers and some of the best minds in labor, economics, and the environment came together for our latest Just Transition Listening Project webinar: Black Workers and Just Transition. - [Organized Labor & the Movement for Black Lives](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/organized-labor-the-movement-for-black-lives/): Racial justice advocates often say that in order to achieve a racially equitable society we cannot just be “not racist,” but that we must be actively anti-racist. Ibram X. Kendi, a preeminent antiracism advocate and historian said that “Being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.” - [Reimagined Recovery](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/reimagined-recovery/): A new report Reimagined Recovery: Black Workers, the Public Sector, and COVID-19 argues expanding jobs in the public sector is the starting point in recovery efforts that place racial equity at the core. - [Let Us Rise in 2020!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/let-us-rise-in-2020/): This is an excerpt from an article that first appeared in the January/February 2020 edition of American Postal Worker magazine. - [Heat from Global Warming Killing American Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/heat-from-global-warming-killing-american-workers/): An article in The Guardian blows the whistle on the little-recognized threat of climate change to workers. In 2018, 60 workers died due to temperature extremes, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on workplace fatalities. - [Resource: City Divestment Toolkit and Implementation Guide](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/resource-city-divestment-toolkit-and-implementation-guide/): Workers who see the recent gyrations and crashes in coal, oil, and gas stocks may wonder what it all means for their pension funds. - [Railroad Workers United Adopts Essential Workers Resolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/railroad-workers-united-adopts-essential-workers-resolution/): An LNS organizational member, Railroad Workers United, held a Steering Committee meeting in June, where members adopted a Resolution on Essential Workers. - [In Memory of Chaz Wheelock](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-memory-of-chaz-wheelock/): We dedicate this issue of Making a Living on a Living Planet to Charles "Chaz" Tsyaktati Wheelock, one of the co-founders of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). - [Fight for the Rights of Essential Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/fight-for-the-rights-of-essential-workers/): Whether they are healthcare workers, bus drivers, janitors, factory workers, or firefighters, people who are declared “essential workers” and are therefore required to go to work in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic face many of the same threats. - [Give Us the Damn Masks!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/give-us-the-damn-masks/): As reported in The Hill, a letter to president Donald Trump from more than 100 unions, advocacy organizations, and environmental groups demanded that the administration immediately provide equipment to hospital workers, cleaning staff, restaurant workers, manufacturers, and others who cannot work from home. - [Transit Equity Means Protecting Transit Workers and Riders](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-means-protecting-transit-workers-and-riders/): More than 70 unions, civil rights groups, transit organizations, and coalitions in the labor and environmental justice movements led by the Labor Network for Sustainability and Institute for Policy Studies are campaigning to include funding for transit workers in the HEROES Act now before Congress. - [Earth Day to May Day: A Historic Experiment in Virtual Protest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/earth-day-to-may-day-a-historic-experiment-in-virtual-protest/): At the end of March, it seemed for a minute like Earth Day to May Day actions would be non-existent with the devastating spread of COVID-19—especially with executive orders throughout the states that suspended (and rightfully so) live events to mandate social distancing. - [A Trade Unionist Scientist on 'Science and Crisis'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-trade-unionist-scientist-on-science-and-crisis/): Carly Ebben Eaton is Development Director for the Labor Network for Sustainability. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University, focused on the chemistry of nitrogen oxides, ozone, and aerosol particle production, and the impacts of this chemistry on air quality and climate. - [LNS Launches Just Transition Listening Project on May 27](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-launches-just-transition-listening-project-on-may-27/): The need for a large-scale Just Transition for workers and communities has never been more urgent as more than 30 million workers have applied for unemployment in the past month. Many face the likelihood that they will never go back to their previous jobs. The Coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis developing as a result offer an important barometer of whether and how we are prepared socially, politically and economically for massive changes to our economy. The shift to the green economy we need in order to confront the climate crisis will require economic shifts on a similar scale. - [No Worker Left Behind](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-worker-left-behind/): The transition to a climate-safe economy will produce millions of new jobs. But it will also require the elimination or transformation of millions of jobs—and any job is important if it is your job. Such job loss will affect not just individual workers, but also whole localities and regions. - [Emergency Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/emergency-green-new-deal/): As the Coronavirus Pandemic leads into the Coronavirus Depression, our very survival depends on putting our people to work fighting the coronavirus; meeting the needs of all for food, shelter, healthcare, and other basic necessities; and reversing the destruction of the earth’s climate. LNS Policy and Research Director Jeremy Brecher has authored a series of commentaries proposing to do so through an Emergency Green New Deal. - [Join the National Call for a Moral Revival, June 20, 2020](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-the-national-call-for-a-moral-revival-june-20-2020/): The Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March on Washington will be the largest digital gathering of poor, dispossessed and impacted people, faith leaders, and people of conscience on June 20, 2020. - [Black Lives and the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/black-lives-and-the-green-new-deal/): We are in the midst of the largest mass uprising in half a century. It is a response to the killing of an unarmed Black man named George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman. But it challenges a pattern of Black oppression that goes far beyond one cop killing one Black person, indeed, far beyond the issues of police abuse of the Black community. - [Earth Day to May Day: A Historic Experiment in Virtual Protest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/earth-day-to-may-day-2020/): The first Earth Day in 1970 had very significant support from the United Automobile Workers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which included money, staff time, printing, and other related resources. Denis Hayes, organizer of the first Earth Day told Labor Network for Sustainability President Joe Uehlein that the first Earth Day would not have happened without labor support. Some of the larger Earth Day planning retreats/meetings were held at the UAW's Black Lake training center in upstate Michigan. - [EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE: Unions push White House for more protective equipment for essential workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/exclusive-article-unions-push-white-house-for-more-protective-equipment-for-essential-workers/) - [70+ Labor, Civil Rights, and Transit Organizations Call on Congress to Provide Emergency Assistance to Public Transit Workers in the Next Stimulus](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/70-labor-civil-rights-and-transit-organizations-call-on-congress-to-provide-emergency-assistance-to-public-transit-workers-in-the-next-stimulus/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Olivia Alperstein, Institute for Policy Studies olivia@ips-dc.org Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability admin@labor4sustainability.org WASHINGTON, D.C. (APRIL 23, 2020) —The Labor Network for Sustainability and Institute for Policy Studies have organized more than 70 unions, civil rights groups, transit organizations, and coalitions in the labor and environmental justice movements to urge - [The Living Legacy of #BlackLivesMatter](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-living-legacy-of-blacklivesmatter/): On February 26, 2012, a neighborhood watch coordinator in Sanford, Florida, named George Zimmerman shot and killed unarmed African American seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin. Two weeks later Zimmerman was charged with murder. Zimmerman claimed self-defense. A year and a half later he was acquitted. - [Transit Equity Day Organizers in Solidarity with ATU, ATU Local 1005, Minneapolis and TWU](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/transit-equity-day-organizers-in-solidarity-with-atu-atu-local-1005-minneapolis-and-twu/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability, 714-651-6170, Basav Sen, Institute for Policy Studies, 202-997-0479 MAY 31, 2020–(TAKOMA PARK, MD)–The Coalition that organizes Transit Equity Day, which takes place each year on Rosa Parks’ birthday, stands in solidarity with Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and its Local 1005, Minneapolis–some of whose members are refusing to - [Unions Fight to Protect All Essential Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/unions-fight-to-protect-all-essential-workers/): Since the beginning of coronavirus lockdowns, the words “essential workers” are suddenly on everyone’s lips. Hospital orderlies, bathroom cleaners, bus drivers – until recently ignored, denigrated, and underpaid – are suddenly treated as heroes. Locked-down Americans stand in front of their houses at 7:00 pm to applaud them. Politicians give speeches celebrating them. These workers were always essential to the running of our society, but now they are being recognized as such. Recognized -- but abused more than ever. - [The Coronavirus Depression and the Emergency Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-coronavirus-depression-and-the-emergency-green-new-deal/): This is the fourth in a series of commentaries proposing an Emergency Green New Deal. Mass unemployment, misery, and impoverishment require emergency response not only to the medical pandemic but to the economic catastrophe that is accompanying it. “The Coronavirus Depression and the Emergency Green New Deal” explores a program tailored to the realities of the economic emergency. - [The Virus Speaks](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-virus-speaks/): When I look at the so-called “world order” of the human race, I lick my chops. In the good old days, my ancestors used to be able to conduct pandemics around the world without interference. And it looks like the good old days are coming back! - [Labor in the Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/labor-in-the-climate-strikes/): When young people around the world began their Climate Strikes, organized workers began joining in, contributing to the September 20, 2019 tally of more than seven million participants worldwide. Many unions were poised to help make the 2020 Earth Week climate strikes still bigger—when the coronavirus pandemic intervened. But trade unionists and other climate protectors are saving Earth Week by taking it on-line. - [Science and Crisis](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/science-and-crisis/): by Carly Ebben Eaton | Apr 16, 2020 There are a ton of parallels between the leadup to the current crisis and the non-response to the climate crisis. Recently, I learned that the fastest a vaccine has ever been developed is 4 years (for mumps). The average time to develop a vaccine is 10-25 years. There - [“Make the Damn Masks!”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/make-the-damn-masks/): t was hardly surprising when a group of trade unions sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to provide ventilators and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and all other workers put at risk by exposure to coronavirus. - [“I Talk to Workers Every Day — They're Afraid They're Going to Die”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/i-talk-to-workers-every-day-theyre-afraid-theyre-going-to-die/): On March 26, the Labor Network for Sustainability convened a videoconference in which leaders of the environmental, climate, and climate justice movements heard directly from leaders of seven unions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their members and what they are doing about it. - [COVID-19 Solidarity Letter to Trump](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/covid-19-solidarity-letter-to-trump/): COVID-19 SOLIDARITY LETTER TO TRUMP Enough is enough! Nearly 100 unions and organizations in the environmental justice and climate action movements have joined together to demand the immediate production and distribution of PPE to healthcare workers. Join the action.#United4Workers #PPEnow Get the Toolkit About This Campaign With a unified voice of labor, climate - [Strike for Your Life!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/strike-for-your-life/): There have been more than a dozen strikes in the past two weeks by workers striking to protect themselves against infection by the coronavirus. Some have already won increased protection but there is still much needed work to be done to ensure all frontline workers are adequately protected. What do these strikes portend for the future? - [LNS's Statement on COVID-19](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lnss-statement-on-covid-19/): The Labor Network for Sustainability’s new statement on the Coronavirus pandemic - [Take Action Now! Contact Your Legislators: Support the 5 Principles of a #PeoplesBailout!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/take-action-now-contact-your-legislators-support-the-5-principles-of-a-peoplesbailout/): The United States is now the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As Congress acts swiftly to develop relief and recovery packages to address the crisis, we must make sure that they prioritize the health, wellbeing, and economic stability/security of all people, with no exceptions. - [In Coronavirus Fight, Workers Are Forging a Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/in-coronavirus-fight-workers-are-forging-a-green-new-deal/): In a new series of commentaries, LNS Research and Policy Director Jeremy Brecher argues that, in the face of government and employer failure, workers and communities must take the lead to protect ourselves and each other from the coronavirus and its economic and social impacts. He proposes an emergency program to do just that. It might be described as a do-it-yourself Green New Deal. - [Earth Day and the Emergency Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/earth-day-and-the-emergency-green-new-deal/): The climate crisis on its own is a threat multiplier. Now, workers in a multitude of industries are serving the public amid the existential crisis that is the COVID-19 pandemic. Illustrated by Taylor Mayes of Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, this graphic is one of a series of Earth Day to May Day "Emergency Green New Deal" graphics—and corresponding video interviews by LNS's Leo Blain—to raise awareness of the conditions facing workers the actions they're taking to stand up for their rights to health and safety. - [Climate Strikes Go Virtual](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-strikes-go-virtual/): Unions and others around the world were just gearing up to make the Earth Day climate strikes and the subsequent “Earth Day to May Day” actions the greatest demonstrations on behalf of the earth and its people in history—when the coronavirus pandemic struck. Now the climate protection movement is taking the global Earth Day climate strike on-line. - [First Union-Backed Strike to Protect the Climate Wins Contract](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/first-union-backed-strike-to-protect-the-climate-wins-contract/): On Thursday, February 27 thousands of Minneapolis cleaning workers walked off their jobs and struck their downtown commercial high-rises. Among their key demands was that their employers take action on climate change. It was one of the first if not the very first union sanctioned strike in the U.S. for climate protection demands. Service Employees - [Wash Your Hands the Union Way](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/wash-your-hands-the-union-way/): Tired of timing your handwashing with Happy Birthday? Try the above from the American Federation of Musicians. - [Momentum Builds for Green New Deal Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/momentum-builds-for-green-new-deal-jobs/): While the economic future is a bit unpredictable even in normal times, there are plenty of indications that American workers will be facing unemployment at historic levels for many months or even years to come. - [Support the 5 Principles of a #PeoplesBailout!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/support-the-5-principles-of-a-peoplesbailout/): The United States is now the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As Congress acts swiftly to develop relief and recovery packages to address the crisis, we must make sure that they prioritize the health, wellbeing, and economic stability/security of all people, with no exceptions. Take action now. Contact Your Legislators: Support the 5 Principles of a #PeoplesBailout! - [An Emergency Jobs Program for an Emergency Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/an-emergency-jobs-program-for-an-emergency-green-new-deal/): On March 19, New York activist and student Erik Forman wrote, “I spent some of today doing deliveries with a volunteer crew of unemployed Uber drivers, mostly to elderly people living in public housing developments.” He asked for a small amount of funds to continue this work and scale it up, and “build momentum for emergency funds to pay for home delivery of meals as a public utility in the crisis.” - [In Coronavirus Fight, Workers Are Forging an Emergency Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/in-coronavirus-fight-workers-are-forging-an-emergency-green-new-deal/): The coronavirus pandemic threatens all of us. People are scared, and rightly so. But when we look to our government officials and employers, whose responsibility it is to provide protection in an emergency, what do we find? In the words of the National Nurses United – a union whose members are risking their lives every day on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic -- “Federal, state, local, and employer efforts to fight the coronavirus” are “outrageous” and “ineffective.” - [Making Sense of Coronavirus in the Labor-Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-sense-of-coronavirus-in-the-labor-climate-movement/): You’re Invited to the video conference Wednesday, March 18: Making Sense of Coronavirus in the Labor-Climate Movement - [This is a time for solidarity. This is a time for sustainability. This is a time for the Green New Deal.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/this-is-a-time-for-solidarity-this-is-a-time-for-sustainability-this-is-a-time-for-the-green-new-deal/): A time for solidarity: The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic must not become the occasion for a war of all against all. Blaming China, or immigrants, or the opposition party is a way to divide us just when we need to be united. Instead we need to reach out to each other and ensure that everyone—especially the most vulnerable—are fully protected. Remember: the life you save may be your own! - [Send in the Adults!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/send-in-the-adults/): In May 2019, Greta Thunberg and 46 other youth climate activists from around the world issued a call for adults to join the youth climate strikes. They demanded that governments “immediately provide a safe pathway to stay below 1.5 degrees of warming.” Emissions must drop rapidly “so that by the time we will be in our mid- and late-20s we are living in a completely transformed world.” - [Student Strikes for Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/student-strikes-for-climate/): This is the fourth in a series of commentaries on the Future of Climate Strikes. It describes how the determined action of one young woman – and the determination of millions of other youth to act on climate -- led within a year to a Global Strike for Climate with more than seven million participants. - [First U.S. Union-Authorized Climate Strike?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/first-u-s-union-authorized-climate-strike/): By Jeremy Brecher,LNS Research and Policy DirectorAbove: Thousands of Minneapolis cleaning workers walked off their jobs and struck their downtown commercial high-rises. Among their key demands was that their employers take action on climate change. Quite possibly the first union sanctioned strike in the U.S. for climate protection demands. Credit: SEIU Local 26.It isn’t easy - [Come to the Table: Join the LNS Labor Table on Earth Day Strikes and Mobilization](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/come-to-the-table-join-the-lns-labor-table-on-earth-day-strikes-and-mobilization/): Did you know that on Sept. 20, 2019, more labor participated in a climate mobilization than ever before? The time to fight for immediate and bold climate action is now. But the needed economic transition will not take place without strong guarantees for worker rights and good jobs for all. This year, Earth Day - [Transit Equity Day Rolls Across the Country](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/6526/): People in more than 50 cities in 16 states took part in activities for Transit Equity Day. activities around the country on February 4. Congressional Representatives Barbara Lee and Ilhan Omar also tweeted about TED. - [Call for A Grand Alliance to Save the Postal Service](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/call-for-a-grand-alliance-to-save-the-postal-service/): In the face of aggressive attacks, a wide range of national and local organizations have come together to create A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service. Their mission statement says: The United States Postal Service is a wonderful national treasure, enshrined in the Constitution and supported by the American people. Without any taxpayer - [Becky Glass, a Key Builder of LNS, Moving On](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/becky-glass-a-key-builder-of-lns-moving-on/): Becky joined the LNS team in March 2010 and has served as the backbone of the organization ever since, building the critical infrastructure and maintaining the often invisible systems that keep the organization running - finance, operations and fundraising. Within the first few months of joining the team, LNS had a regular payroll and has never missed one - [Labor: The "Great Upheaval" Today](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor-the-“great-upheaval”-today/): This month is the anniversary of a long-forgotten landmark in American history, the "Great Upheaval" of July, 1877. It may be surprisingly relevant today. The Great Upheaval was a movement widely portrayed as a violent rebellion. In the midst of a national depression, and with unions decimated, railroad workers struck and closed most of the - [Join LNS in Supporting our Public Postal Service!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-lns-in-supporting-our-public-postal-service/): Sign up to call your Senators on Feb. 25. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, postal workers and the communities we serve are standing up for our public Postal Service. It's time to protect America's most cherished institution. The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the USPS Fairness Act. Now let's get it through the Senate. Members - [The Future of Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-future-of-climate-strikes/): By Jeremy Brecher,LNS Research and Policy Director This is the first in a series of commentaries on the Future of Climate Strikes. This introductory commentary asks whether strikes and forms of mass direct action “people power” might help halt climate destruction and bring about a Green New Deal. For the entire Future of Climate Strike - [The Power of the Powerless](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/the-power-of-the-powerless-2/): By Jeremy Brecher,LNS Research and Policy Director This commentary maintains that the power of the powerful depends on the cooperation and acquiescence of other people. If enough of those others refuse to go along, they can undermine the “pillars of support” of those at the top. That’s why climate strikes could be powerful. For the - [Introducing Strike!: Jeremy Brecher’s Corner](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/strike/introducing-strike-jeremy-brechers-corner/): By Jeremy Brecher,LNS Research and Policy Director This is the first, introductory commentary of “Strike!: Jeremy Brecher’s Corner.” It asks, is there any way we can deliver ourselves from mutual destruction by climate change and/or nuclear holocaust? A listing of Strike! commentaries is here. You and I may not know each other, but I suspect - [Labor in the Climate Emergency](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-in-the-climate-emergency/): Then, following up on the historic Climate Strikes in September, youth activists are calling for trade unionists and other adults to join an even more overwhelming action the week of Earth Day, April 22. You can learn about about these events from this newsletter—and by joining the upcoming LNS Virtual Convergences listed below. Meanwhile, unions around - [Get on Board for Transit Equity Day—February 4](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/get-on-board-for-transit-equity-day-february-4/): February 4, 2020 is Transit Equity Day when people in dozens of cities will demand public transportation systems that provide for the needs of everyone. February 4 was chosen for Transit Equity Day in honor of Rosa Parks, an iconic figure of the civil rights era, whose refusal to give up her seat on the - [Transit Equity Day Organizers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-organizers/): Transportation is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in this country and gasoline-powered vehicles also emit harmful pollutants that disproportionately affect already overburdened communities. At the same time, our public transportation system is in need of major overhaul. Our over investment in highway expansion and single occupancy vehicle use have left low-income communities stranded - [Mark your Calendars Earth Day Climate Strikes Ahead!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/mark-your-calendars-earth-day-climate-strikes-ahead/): By Lauren Burke Last September, an estimated 7.6 million people joined the global climate strike, making it the largest demonstration against climate change in the world’s history. In the U.S., over 39 trade union bodies engaged in the climate strike: passing resolutions, marching, and supporting the youth. As impressive and inspiring as the climate strikes - [Virtual Convergence 3 on Transit Equity Day: Recording Now Available](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/virtual-convergence-3-on-transit-equity-day-recording-now-available/): Thank you to all who attended LNS's Virtual Convergence 3: Transit Equity: Labor and Community Voices on the Nexus of Civil Rights and Climate Action To prepare for Transit Equity Day taking place February 4, 2020, LNS featured a panel of union leaders and civil rights activists to talk about the roots of Transit Equity - [EPA Workers Need Your Help to Protect Your Climate!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/epa-workers-need-your-help-to-protect-your-climate/): Environmental Protection Agency workers protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and ensure a healthy environment for everyone. In the face of devastating climate change, we need them more than ever. The Trump Administration is gutting the EPA—slashing funding, cutting staffing levels and erasing years of research. In preparation for negotiations, the American - [Union Teachers Spreading the Word on Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-teachers-spreading-the-word-on-climate/): How can unions educate their members about climate change? The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) just provided a sterling example. The entire current issue of its magazine American Educator is devoted to teachers and climate change. It is available free online. Several articles indicate ways to teach about climate change, not only in science classes but in - [The Third National Labor Convergence on Climate, Chicago, June 28-23, 2019](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-third-national-labor-convergence-on-climate-chicago-june-28-23-2019/): The Labor Network for Sustainability held its Third National Labor Convergence on Climate in Chicago, June 28-29. The theme was “Strengthening Labor's Voice to Help Shape Green New Deal.” - [Poll Shows Union Members Support the Green New Deal Nearly Three to One](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/poll-shows-union-members-support-the-green-new-deal-nearly-three-to-one/): A poll by YouGov Blue on behalf of Data for Progress shows brought support for the Green New Deal from union members. - [Want a Model Climate Resolution for Your Union?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/want-a-model-climate-resolution-for-your-union/): Many unions are considering resolutions on climate change. Here’s one just passed by the local executive board of the Rutgers University AAUP-AFT, that endorses the Green New Deal, demands that Rutgers develop a climate action plan to be carbon neutral, and proclaims support and alignment with LNS. Read the resolution » - [Check Out LNS's Virtual Convergence 2: Labor Voices on the Green New Deal Recording](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/check-out-lnss-virtual-convergence-2-labor-voices-on-the-green-new-deal-recording/): If you missed it…Check out: Labor Network for Sustainability’s Virtual Convergence 2: Labor Voices on the Green New Deal Recording - [Union Members Overwhelmingly Support the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-members-overwhelmingly-support-the-green-new-deal/): Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (center) speaks on the Green New Deal with Senator Ed Markey (right) in front of the Capitol Building in February 2019. Credit: Senate Democrats. - [Texas AFL-CIO Adopts Resolution on Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/texas-afl-cio-adopts-resolution-on-climate-change/): Ryan Pollock, an inside wireman with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) writes about the recent AFL-CIO Convention in Texas: Not only were many of my fellow trades siblings—plenty of whom work in the fossil fuel industry or represent fossil fuel workers—strongly in favor of the GND at the start of the convention, but - [Fire Drill Friday for Good Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/fire-drill-friday-for-good-jobs/): On December 13, trade unionists and supporters demonstrated at the U.S. Capitol for “Good Jobs for a Green Future”—and then sat down and were arrested for refusing to leave and end their protest. The civil disobedience action was part of “Fire Drill Fridays,” a weekly series led by Jane Fonda. The December 13 action for - [Postal Workers Take on Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/postal-workers-take-on-climate-change/): The American Postal Workers Union has taken on the climate crisis within the national union structure by following up on their last national convention resolution “Climate Change, Jobs and Justice.” At its recent national All-Craft conference held in Las Vegas, the APWU held a special meeting on Climate Change, and circulated a detailed survey to - [Connecticut Project Labor Agreement Law Ensures Green Jobs Are Union Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/connecticut-project-labor-agreement-law-ensures-green-jobs-are-union-jobs/): When work on public infrastructure is performed by union labor there are many benefits for workers, communities, and the economy as a whole. However, too many infrastructure workers are denied union representation. And many devices—such as subcontracting, performing work off-site, and public-private partnerships—make it possible to evade employer responsibilities for allowing workers to bargain collectively - [How Labor Can Support the Youth-Led Climate Strikes September 20-27](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/how-labor-can-support-the-youth-led-climate-strikes-september-20-27/): Thousands of workers and major unions are supporting the youth-led student climate strikes September 20-27. See how workers and union can join them. - [No Worker Left Behind in the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/no-worker-left-behind-in-the-green-new-deal/): What will happen to workers in fossil fuel related industries if the shift to a climate-safe economy threatens their jobs? - [Juliana: Why Climate Rights Matter to Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/juliana-why-climate-rights-matter-to-labor/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has just issued a briefing paper called “The Juliana Youth Climate Case: What’s It Mean for Labor?” maintaining that a climate rights lawsuit against the US government by 21 youth plaintiffs provides unions a valuable opportunity to ally with youth climate activists. - [Global Labor Movement Voice the Global Climate Conference](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/global-labor-movement-voice-the-global-climate-conference/): “As workers organizations we are faced with a very important responsibility. Social progress, has never come for free, without struggle from the people affected. This is also the case for climate protection. We need to fight for our place at the table and to see that our demands for climate justice are taken into account.” - [Maine AFL-CIO: 'The Time Is NOW for Labor to Engage with Climate'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/maine-afl-cio-the-time-is-now-for-labor-to-engage-with-climate/): The Maine AFL-CIO just passed a resolution at its October Convention “to Address the Climate Crisis and Inequality Crisis and Create Union Jobs.” The resolution said climate change poses “an immediate and long-term threat to all working class people, our communities and our economic security.” - [Amalgamated Transit Union Bus Drivers Steer Procurement to Electric Busses](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amalgamated-transit-union-bus-drivers-steer-procurement-to-electric-busses/): Mustafa Salahuddin is the president and business agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1316 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In this edited interview with Labor Network for Sustainability, he tells how the local became part of the company procurement process—leading the company to convert to climate-safe electric buses. Credits Taylor Mayes, Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs. - [At 101, Chicago Teachers Union Activist Bea Lumpkin Says Educators Have a 'Special Responsibility' in the Struggle to Mitigate Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/at-101-chicago-teachers-union-activist-bea-lumpkin-says-educators-have-a-special-responsibility-in-the-struggle-to-mitigate-climate-change/): Reporting on the LNS National Labor Convergence on Climate this past June, labor veteran Bea Lumpkin described a special meeting of educators at the conference. - [Signs of the Times: Arts Kit for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/signs-of-the-times-arts-kit-for-the-green-new-deal/): Looking for beautiful and powerful graphics for your activities around labor, climate, and the Green New Deal? The Labor Network for Sustainability has partnered with 350.org and engaged artists to create "Green New Deal Arts: Signs of the Times" to share images that people can carry in the streets to help organize for and win a Green New Deal. - [Bargaining for the Common Good: How Workers Can Demand Climate Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/bargaining-for-the-common-good-how-workers-can-demand-climate-justice/): An article by four labor and climate activists recently published in the American Prospect calls for a “Bargaining for the Common Good” approach to the climate crisis. - [Rutgers AAUP-AFT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rutgers-aaup-aft/): Resolution in Support of the Green New Deal, Student Climate Strikes, and a Climate Action Plan for Rutgers University WHEREAS As a result of human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily associated with the combustion of fossil fuels, the global climate is now about 1°C (nearly 2°F) warmer than the historical climate in which modern civilization - [Maine AFL-CIO Resolutions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/maine-afl-cio-resolutions/): Resolution #4 A Resolution to Address the Climate Crisis and Inequality Crisis and Create Union Jobs WHEREAS, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has determined humanity has less than twelve years to accomplish massive reductions in carbon emissions to avert the worst effects of climate instability; and WHEREAS, climate change poses an immediate and long-term - [Brecher on Future of the Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/brecher-on-future-of-the-climate-movement/): A recent article by LNS Research and Policy Director Jeremy Brecher in the Great Transition Forum argues that the climate movement has entered a new historic phase, pioneered by the Sunrise Movement, the Student Strike for Climate, and the Extinction Rebellion and expressed in the massive activity around the Green New Deal. - [Labor-Environmental Alliance Calls for Climate Solidarity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-environmental-alliance-calls-for-climate-solidarity/): The Blue-Green Alliance, which unites large labor and environmental organizations, recently released the statement “Solidarity for Climate Action.” - [Workers to Join Student Climate Strikes September 20-27](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-to-join-student-climate-strikes-september-20-27/): In the last few months, as we’ve experienced the hottest ever recorded July globally and extreme floods in the Midwest, it’s undeniable that climate crisis is already impacting many of us, our communities, and our workplaces. Last year, the IPCC issued a report that drastic action must occur before 2030 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change – we have to act now! - [Striking for Climate Can Be As Easy As Taking a Snapshot](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/striking-for-climate-can-be-as-easy-as-taking-a-snapshot/): Take pictures with signs about labor’s support. In advance of September 20 or during the week of action, snap a photo with a younger person, a family member such as a child, grandchild, etc., with a sign that reads: “Workers support the climate strikes,” or “Labor supports the climate strikes,” or “Unions support the climate strike,” and post it to social media. - [Resources and Materials for Labor on the Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/resources-and-materials-for-labor-on-the-climate-strikes/): A Climate Strike toolkit for workers - [Labor Councils Supporting Student Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-councils-supporting-student-strikes/): Alameda Labor Council and Labor Rise support Students Strikes - [Unions Worldwide Support Youth Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-worldwide-support-youth-climate-strikes/): Union Statements and Actions in Support of the Youth-Led Calls for Global Climate Action - [Teachers Supporting Their Climate-Striking Students](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/teachers-supporting-their-climate-striking-students/): Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, has released a statement that shows teachers' support for their climate-striking students. - [1,000 Amazon Workers Will Strike for Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/1000-amazon-workers-will-strike-for-climate/): A thousand Amazon employees have signed a form pledging to walk out on September 20 in support of youth climate strikers. According to this article in Vox, an informational letter to Amazon workers from Amazon Employees for Climate Justice said, “We need bold, immediate climate action.” As a large global company, “we must demonstrate real climate leadership.” - [SEIU—America’s Second Largest Union—Supports Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/seiu-americas-second-largest-union-supports-climate-strikes/): This week, Service Employees (SEIU) President Mary Kay Henry sent local SEIU leaders this message: When the SEIU Executive Board voted on a resolution supporting the Green New Deal, we said that we would join with the climate and environmental justice movement in demanding action on climate change, structural racism and economic inequality. Recently, these demands aligned - [LNS and Environmental Groups Back Striking United Autoworkers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-and-environmental-groups-back-striking-united-autoworkers/): LNS joined Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace USA, Oil Change International, and other environmental groups to express their solidarity with United Autoworkers members striking at General Motors. - [Labor Lawyers Say International Law May Protect Climate Strikes](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-lawyers-say-international-law-may-protect-climate-strikes/): Two prominent international labor lawyers, one of them an official of the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center, have just published an article in Equal Times saying “Unions Must Join the Global Climate Strike to Avert a Climate Catastrophe.” The authors, who write in a personal capacity, are Ruwan Subasinghe and Jeff Vogt. Subasinghe is Legal Advisor to the International Transport Workers’ Federation and Jeff Vogt, director for the Solidarity Center’s Rule of Law department and previously the legal director of the International Trade Union Confederation. - [What’s Next for the Climate Strikes?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/whats-next-for-the-climate-strikes/): Fridays Youth around the world will continue the weekly Friday school strikes for climate they have been conducting for the past year. Next strike The global climate strike coalition will shortly announce the date for a climate strike in November or early December. Earth Day April 22, 2020 will be the fiftieth anniversary of the first Earth Day. - [Amazon Workers Walk Out for Climate Strike](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/amazon-workers-walk-out-for-climate-strike/): Solidarity during the Amazon action in Chicago during the worldwide September 20 #climatestrikes. - [U.S. Unions Back the Climate Strike](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/u-s-unions-back-the-climate-strike/): An estimated 7.6 million people joined the global climate strike September 20-27, making it the largest demonstration against climate change in the world’s history. There were more than six thousand events in 185 countries. 1.4 million participated in Germany; 1 million in Italy; 600,000 in Canada; 500,000 in the US; 350,000 in Australia; and 350,000 in the United Kingdom. - [An Educational Tool on Climate Change for Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/an-educational-tool-on-climate-change-for-workers/): The Convergence unveiled a new tool, a PowerPoint presentation headlined “We Need a National Political and Economic Mobilization to Confront the Climate Crisis.” - [‘Climate Change Is the Real Job Killer’](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/green-new-deal/climate-change-is-the-real-job-killer/): In an interview about labor's role in framing the #GreenNewDeal LNS President Joe Uehlein says to Janine Jackson of CounterSpin, "climate change is the real job killer, not the answers to climate change. And we’ve done studies to show that, but, for a lot of working people, it’s very obvious." - [New SEIU Resolution Reveals Broad Labor Support for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-seiu-resolution-reveals-broad-labor-support-for-the-green-new-deal/): The Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), an organization devoted to "making a living on a living planet," applauds today's endorsement of the Green New Deal by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). LNS president Joe Uehlein said, "Climate change is an existential threat to all of us and the time to act is now -- - [Massachusetts Teachers Union Calls for Strike for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/massachusetts-teachers-union-calls-for-strike-for-the-green-new-deal/): With more than 1,200 delegates attending, the Massachusetts Teachers Association approved a resolution “That the MTA delegation to the 2019 NEA Representative Assembly propose a national teachers strike in support of the Green New Deal.” The submitters’ rationale noted that The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently issued a report arguing that, by the year 2030, - [Flight Attendants President says 'We Know Climate Change is a Huge Threat'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/flight-attendants-president-says-we-know-climate-change-is-a-huge-threat/): Sara Nelson, who will open the first panel at the LNS Labor Convergence on Climate in June, is international president of the Association of Flight Attendants representing 50,000 workers across 20 airlines. In a recent article for Vox, Nelson writes that flight attendants and airline workers have been told by some pundits that the Green New - [Labor Convergence on Climate: A Labor Voice for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-convergence-on-climate-a-labor-voice-for-the-green-new-deal/): The Labor Network for Sustainability will hold its third National Labor Convergence on Climate June 28-30. This year’s theme is “Strengthening Labor’s Voice to Help Shape the Green New Deal.” The major goal of the Convergence is to produce an action agenda for labor around climate change and to draft a strategy for organizing around that - [Making the Green New Deal Work for Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-the-green-new-deal-work-for-workers-2/): The Labor Network for Sustainability has called on all members of Congress who support the Green New Deal to co-sponsor legislation to protect the pension and health benefits of coal miners. For many years the fossil fuel industry and its supporters have characterized real climate protection as a threat to workers. They’ve cynically used coal miners - [Future Energy Jobs for Chicagoland](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/future-energy-jobs-for-chicagoland/): A special plenary panel on local and state action described the partnership that has formed among organized labor, the environmental community, social justice advocates, the faith community, and businesses to enact bold clean energy and climate action goals that will drive quality job creation, lift up communities, and protect the environment in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. - [Diversity and Racial Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/diversity-and-racial-justice/): LNS Executive Director Michael Leon Guererro announced that issues of diversity and racial justice will be top priorities for the next meeting of the LNS Board of Directors. - [Engaging the Members: Doing a Local Inventory of Jobs and Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/engaging-the-members-doing-a-local-inventory-of-jobs-and-climate/): A Convergence workshop led by John Harrity, retired President of the Connecticut International Association of Machinists and chair of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs (pictured above), consumer-tested a survey that unions and other labor organizations can use to find out the impact of climate change on our members’ jobs and communities—and to stimulate a discussion of what that means for labor. - [RWU Resolution in Support of a Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/rwu-resolution-in-support-of-a-green-new-deal/): Railroad Workers United resolution in support of the Green New Deal. - [LNS Lays Out Next Steps for Labor Climate Action](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-lays-out-next-steps-for-labor-climate-action/): In a follow-up letter to Convergence participants LNS Executive Director Michael Leon Guererro laid out these next steps for trade unionists to mobilize their unions to fight for and help shape the Green New Deal. - [Featured LNS Board Member: Sarita Gupta](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/featured-lns-board-member-sarita-gupta/): Sarita Gupta is a nationally recognized expert on the economic and political issues affecting working people, particularly low-wage workers, and is a key leader and strategist in the progressive movement. Throughout her 20-year career, she has worked at the intersection of workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, global justice, racial justice, and women’s rights issues. - [Latest News](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/homepageslide/latest-news/) - [Where should labor stand on anti-protest legislation?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/where-should-labor-stand-on-anti-protest-legislation/): As fossil fuel advocates have increasingly lost the battle for public opinion, they are increasingly turning to government repression as a way to pursue their policy preferences. According to the US Protest Law Tracker, since the election of Donald Trump 14 states have passed new laws and executive orders increasing penalties and otherwise criminalizing environmental - [Student Strikers Call for Adults to Join Climate Strike September 20](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/student-strikers-call-for-adults-to-join-climate-strike-september-20/): On August 20, 2018 a fourteen-year-old Swedish schoolgirl sat down alone in front of the Swedish Parliament with a sign saying “Student Strike for Climate.” Soon thousands of students around the world began joining her weekly actions. By March 15, 2019 one-and-a-half million students from 2,233 cities and towns in 128 countries on all seven - [Trade Union VP Says General Strike Necessary to Halt Climate Disaster](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trade-union-vp-says-general-strike-necessary-to-halt-climate-disaster/): At a May conference in New York City, Amalgamated Transit Union VP Bruce Hamilton (pictured right), urged U.S. trade unionists to “learn from our past” and start building towards a general strike in a last ditch effort to avert climate disaster. “What we need to understand is that climate struggle is class struggle,” Hamilton told - [LNS at Green New Deal Town Halls Across New Jersey](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-at-green-new-deal-town-halls-across-new-jersey/): The Labor Network for Sustainability helped to organize and participated in a series of Green New Deal Town Halls across the state of New Jersey this spring. Working with the Sunrise Movement, SEIU 32BJ, the Sierra Club, BlueWave NJ, and ForwardNotBack, a pro-worker, pro-social justice vision for a climate-safe future was brought to crowds from Highland Park - [American Federation of Teachers, Oregon (AFT-OR) Endorses the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/american-federation-of-teachers-oregon-aft-or-endorses-the-green-new-deal/): Resolution #2019 -4 (amended to include #2019-5) Resolution to Endorse the Oregon and the National Green New Deals Whereas, the ongoing and ever-worsening climate catastrophe mandates an urgent response; and Whereas, the proposals for addressing carbon emissions and climate change seek a harmony between the economic, social, political, and ecological; and Whereas, AFT-OR and National - [Oregon State Association of Letter Carriers (OSALC) Supports the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/oregon-state-association-of-letter-carriers-supports-the-green-new-deal/): Resolution: Support the Green New Deal Whereas: climate change threatens all people (our customers) but especially letter carriers, who work outside facing its dangerous effects: huge wild fires, freezing polar vortices, monster hurricanes, etc., and Whereas: the U.N. commissioned Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that humanity has twelve years to cut greenhouse gas - [New Labor Endorsements for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-labor-endorsements-for-the-green-new-deal/): San Francisco Labor Council GND Resolution Labor resolution shows unified support for a Green New Deal with strong labor and community provisions. The San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO is publicly calling a Green New Deal “that includes a strong and binding commitment” to support workers and communities impacted by the transitioning economy. The announcement comes following - [SEIU 509 Joint Executive Board Resolution on the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/labor-endorsements/seiu-509-joint-executive-board-resolution-on-the-green-new-deal/): Approved February 21, 2019 WHEREAS, climate change is an urgent crisis confronting people all over the world: extreme weather, rising sea levels, and pollution are wreaking havoc on the planet; and WHEREAS, the climate crisis exacerbates already-existing systemic injustices along racial, regional, social, and economic lines; and WHEREAS, the climate crisis highlights growing income inequality and a decline in labor standards in the United States; and WHEREAS, SEIU 509 has recently worked, mobilized - [18 Strategies for a Green New Deal: How to Make the Climate Mobilization Work](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/18-strategies-for-a-green-new-deal-how-to-make-the-climate-mobilization-work/): LNS 2019 discussion paper "18 Strategies for a Green New Deal: How to Make the Climate Mobilization Work" by Jeremy Brecher - [Some Tough Questions about the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/some-tough-questions-about-the-green-new-deal/): Few ideas have provoked more discussion than the GREEN NEW DEAL (GND). Basically, the GND states that (1) we need to take urgent action on climate now in order to jump start the transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and completely de-carbonize by 2050; and (2) we need intentionally to use the transition to address economic justice (create high quality union jobs/redress income inequality) and social justice. - [Organizing for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/organizing-for-the-green-new-deal/): by Michael Leon Guerrero, LNS Executive Director Here at the Labor Network for Sustainability we are very excited about the the Green New Deal (GND). The resolution introduced in Congress by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey in the Senate has already sparked intense debate, controversy and enthusiasm - just as it should. The GND opens - [Climate Justice Alliance Supports Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-justice-alliance-supports-green-new-deal/): CJA Calls for Special Attention to Frontline Communities The Climate Justice Alliance (CJA), unites 68 organizations rooted in indigenous, African American, Latin-x, Asian Pacific Islander, and poor white communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis under Just Transition strategies. Their statement “A green new deal must e rooted in a just transition for workers - [What Trade Unionists Can Do Right Now to Win a Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-trade-unionists-can-do-right-now-to-win-a-green-new-deal/): Martha Hawthorne, a chair of the SEIU 1021 Climate Justice Work group and part of the planning team for the upcoming LNS National Labor Convergence on Climate, writes us from the Bay Area: At the close of 2018, the SEIU 1021 Executive Board voted to support the framework of the Green New Deal, making this union local - [Climate Jobs for All: A Key Building Block of the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-jobs-for-all-a-key-building-block-of-the-green-new-deal/): The principles for a Green New Deal laid out by the youth Sunrise Movement call for a job guarantee program to assure a living wage job to every person who wants one. What is a “jobs guarantee program” and what does it have to do with protecting the climate? - [What Labor Should Ask of a Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-labor-should-ask-of-a-green-new-deal/): While current proposals for a Green New Deal align with workers’ interests, organized labor brings traditions and insights that can make them even more compelling. - [Green New Deal? Bring It! But Don’t Forget Your Union Card](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-bring-it-but-dont-forget-your-union-card/): Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s draft proposal for a Green New Deal contains bold provisions for achieving 100 percent renewable energy, a federal jobs guarantee... - [Twelve Reasons Labor Should Demand a Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/twelve-reasons-labor-should-demand-a-green-new-deal/): In “Twelve Reasons Labor Should Demand a Green New Deal,” LNS’s Jeremy Brecher and Joe Uehlein argue that labor unions should take this opportunity to embrace the proposal—and fight to make sure it’s a strong vehicle for advancing workers’ rights. - [LNS Videoconference: The Green New Deal – What Does It Mean for Labor?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/video/lns-videoconference-the-green-new-deal-what-does-it-mean-for-labor/): Sunrise Movement founders Varshini Prakash and William Lawrence speak and answer questions at a special LNS videoconference on labor and the Green New Deal. View it here » - [Labor and the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-and-the-green-new-deal/): It was an iconic moment: Young people occupy Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s office demanding a Green New Deal to put millions of people to work making a climate-safe economy—when suddenly newly-elected Congressional representative and overnight media star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joins them with a resolution in hand laying out principles for a Green New Deal. - [Portland, Oregon’s “Clean Energy Fund” Foreshadows Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/tax-the-rich-fight-climate-change/): Back in 2016, representatives of the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), Verde (a community-based environmental organization), the Coalition of Communities of Color, the NAACP, and 350PDX (the local affiliate of 350.org) met to discuss how work to fight climate change could simultaneously address racial and economic justice and create living wage jobs. The result - [What’s in the Green New Deal Resolution for Labor?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/whats-in-the-green-new-deal-resolution-for-labor/): Along with its broad provisions for protecting the climate and eliminating poverty and injustice, the Green New Deal resolution recently proposed by Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey has specific proposals to help organized labor. - [Detroit DSA Releases Video Supporting the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/detroit-dsa-releases-video-supporting-the-green-new-deal/): Video: Created by Detroit Democratic Socialists of America. Watch video here » Detroit Democratic Socialists of America write: General Motors' announced plant closings emphasize the urgency for a Green New Deal. We don't need any more abandoned factories in the Rust Belt. These plants can and should be re-tooled for green production. We have a once in a - [Green New Deal is a Good Deal for NJ Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/green-new-deal-is-a-good-deal-for-nj-workers/): Humankind is facing a climate emergency. Bold and immediate solutions are required to avert the worst impacts of climate change. We are also facing unprecedented levels of income and wealth inequality—often along the lines of race and gender—which threaten the very foundations of democratic governance. - [IBEW Local 103 Leader Endorses Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ibew-local-103-leader-endorses-green-new-deal/): IBEW Local 103 Business Manager Lou Antonellis has endorsed the Green New Deal resolution proposed by Senator Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to Jennifer Smith of the Dorchester Reporter. Antonellis said the push for expanded renewable energy infrastructure and the jobs that could come with it is in line with their mission. While Local 103 - [SEIU’s 32BJ Supports the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/seius-32bj-supports-the-green-new-deal/): Hector Figueroa, president of 32BJ SEIU, the largest property service union in the country, issued the following statement: As a union representing 163,000 doormen, security officers, cleaners and airport workers up and down the east coast, we support the Green New Deal, which was officially introduced today by New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Senator - [San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO Endorses Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/san-diego-imperial-counties-labor-council-afl-cio-endorses-green-new-deal/): This January the San-Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO overwhelmingly passed a resolution supporting the Green New Deal with strong labor provisions. They hope it will serve as a touchstone to help spark a larger discussion inside the American labor movement. The resolution notes that “with the support of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of - [The Green New Deal—A Strategy for a More Equal United States](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-green-new-deal-a-strategy-for-a-more-equal-united-states/): In an article for the www.inequality.org LNS’s Research and Policy Director describes the Green New Deal (GND) as a “strategy to counter America’s grotesque and growing inequality.” “While the Green New Deal [GND] is often portrayed as a program for climate protection, it is equally a strategy to counter America’s grotesque sand growing inequality. The Green New Deal resolution - [Op-Ed Shows How Trade Unionists Can Advocate for the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/op-ed-shows-how-trade-unionists-can-advocate-for-the-green-new-deal/): Why Labor Should Support the Green New Deal by Nancy Romer, Professor Emerita, Brooklyn College, PSC-CUNY Environmental Justice Working Group The bad news is that we must completely transition from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and we must achieve most of that in the next 12 years or face a level of disaster - [Los Angeles AFL-CIO Endorses Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/los-angeles-afl-cio-endorses-green-new-deal/): WHEREAS: The recent fires and heavy storm season in Southern California provided another sobering reminder to our communities on how climate change is fundamentally altering our planet and economy; and WHEREAS: The Los Angeles region in particular, and the State of California more broadly, have become global leaders with some of the strongest environmental policies - [The Dual Crisis of Ecology and Inequality](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-dual-crisis-of-ecology-and-inequality/): Looking for material on labor and climate for powerpoint presentations and handouts? Here is an outstanding set from LNS’s Dr. Todd Vachon on “The Current Moment: A Dual Crisis of Ecology and Inequality.” Watch Todd’s presentation at a New Jersey forum on the Green New Deal » - [Some Tough Questions on the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/some-tough-questions-on-the-green-new-deal/): by Jeremy Brecher, LNS Research and Policy Director Trade unionists have been asking some TOUGH questions about the GND. Here are some examples -- and a few quick responses that don't aim to provide complete answers, but to highlight the top lines of more detailed answers that need to be developed. Q. 100% renewable energy - [Union Locals Build Support for the Green New Deal’s 'Just Transition'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-locals-build-support-for-the-green-new-deals-just-transition/): An article by Candice Bernd in Truthout asks, “What would a just transition actually mean for fossil fuel workers, and what must proponents do to win labor’s support?” She provides answers from LNS President Joe Uehlein, Executive Director Michael Guerrero, and Dave Campbell, treasurer-secretary of United Steelworkers Local 675 in Los Angeles. According to Guerrero: It’s going - [Making the Green New Deal Work for Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/making-the-green-new-deal-work-for-workers/): LNS’s policy and research director Jeremy Brecher lays out what labor needs from the Green New Deal in a special issue of In These Times on “Getting to Zero.” The Green New Deal presents the American working class with the greatest opportunity for improving our lives and gaining power since the original New Deal of the - [Packed Bay Area Convergence on Climate Plans for Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/packed-bay-area-convergence-on-climate-plans-for-green-new-deal/): by Veronica Wilson, Labor Network for Sustainability On April 13, 150 local labor leaders, members and organizers, along with ally organizations gathered for the Alameda Labor Council, AFL-CIO Labor Convergence on Climate. The Convergence was co-hosted by Labor Network for Sustainability and sponsored by 15 union locals. It was held at the Zero Net Energy Center - [Strengthen Labor's Voice to Help Shape the Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/strengthen-labors-voice-to-help-shape-the-green-new-deal/): On Friday, June 28 through Sunday, June 30, 2019, the Labor Network for Sustainability will hold its Third National Labor Convergence on Climate in Chicago. In the spirit of this year's theme, which is: Strengthening Labor's Voice to Help Shape the Green New Deal ...this year's Convergence will result in an action agenda for labor around climate change as well as - [Workers Join Young People on Global Strike for Climate](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/workers-join-young-people-on-global-strike-for-climate/): by Jeremy Brecher, Labor Network for Sustainability On March 15, 1.5 million young people joined a School Strike 4 Climate in more than 2000 locations around the world. The school strikes have been occurring weekly since thirteen-year-old Greta Thunberg began sitting alone every Friday at the Swedish parliament with a sign protesting inaction in the face of - [America's Labor Unions Agree that Climate Change Must Be Addressed](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/americas-labor-unions-agree-that-climate-change-must-be-addressed/): In a March 8 letter to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Edward Markey, the Energy Committee of the AFL-CIO stated, "America's labor unions agree that climate change must be addressed." It added, "It is critical that the voices of American workers be included in the discussion, especially those who are most at risk of job - [LNS Labor Convergence on Climate: Moving Toward Union](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-labor-convergence-on-climate-moving-toward-union/): On Friday, June 28 through Sunday, June 30, 2019, the Labor Network for Sustainability will hold its Third National Labor Convergence on Climate in Chicago. This Convergence will be a place where labor people can strategize about how to enhance labor's role in the climate protection movement. Merriam-Webster defines “con·ver·gence” as “moving toward union.” The Labor - [Why Unions Must Bargain Over Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/why-unions-must-bargain-over-climate-change/): Nato Green, Campaign Coordinator for San Francisco SEIU Local 1021, writes in In These Times: In recent years, some unions have embraced “bargaining for the common good,” which use the union campaign to win broad, righteous public benefits. The best current example of this is the Los Angeles teachers’ strike, which opposed the underfunding, privatization and overcrowding of - [Sociologist Finds Labor and Environmental Protection Linked](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/sociologist-finds-labor-and-environmental-protection-linked/): In my recent research with Allen Hyde from Georgia Tech, we find that countries with highly unionized workforces have on average done a better job of addressing climate change than the U.S. and other countries with smaller labor movements. After controlling for a variety of social, economic and political factors, our statistical analyses find that unionization has - [Featured LNS Board Member: John Harrity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/featured-lns-board-member-john-harrity/): John Harrity serves as Chair and is a founding member of the Board of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, a statewide coalition with a major impact on Connecticut’s response to climate change. John also serves on the Board of the Connecticut Green Bank, a quasi-public agency that in five years has leveraged $1 billion in - [The Labor Network for Sustainability: Making A Living On A Living Planet](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-labor-network-for-sustainability-making-a-living-on-a-living-planet/): The mission of the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is to engage workers and communities in building a transition to a society that is ecologically sustainable and economically just. We work to foster deep relationships that help the labor movement engage in the climate movement and the climate movement understand the economics of climate change and the - [Featured LNS Staff Member: Mike Cavanaugh](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/featured-lns-staff-member-mike-cavanaugh/): Mike Cavanaugh (pictured front right) joined the staff of the Labor Network for Sustainability as of February, 2019 as our Senior Strategic Advisor/Organizer after a lifetime of working in the labor movement as an organizer and advocate for workers and their unions. A native of Chicago, Mike began working in the labor movement in 1973 as an organizer - [Transit Equity Day is Coming Save the Date - Take Action!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/transit-equity-day-is-coming-save-the-date-take-action/): Last year, people took action in dozens of cities across the U.S. demanding that our local, state and federal governments make public transit accessible and affordable to all, create good jobs by expanding our public transit systems, and protect our health and climate by using renewable energy to power our buses and trains. - [How to Fix the Economy Without Breaking the Planet](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/video/how-to-fix-the-economy-without-breaking-the-planet/): For a lively 3-minute video explaining the Green New Deal, visit Grist.org » - [BREAKING: LNS Supports Tesla Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/breaking-lns-supports-tesla-workers/): Tesla workers are taking the lead in ensuring that green jobs are good jobs and that the transition to a climate-safe economy can and must be good for workers. - [Diablo Canyon Shutdown Protects Workers and Communities](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/diablo-canyon-shutdown-protects-workers-and-communities/): On September 20, 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation implementing the final pieces of a deal to close the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. - [Connecticut Locks Up Transit Funding](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/connecticut-locks-up-transit-funding/): One week before Election Day, Mustafa Salahuddin, President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1336, spoke at a press conference alongside the Executive Director of Greater Bridgeport Transit, the employer of many of Local 1336’s members. - [Northeast Regional Labor Convergence on Climate Change Displays Growing Size and Momentum of the Labor-Climate Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/northeast-regional-labor-convergence-on-climate-change-displays-growing-size-and-momentum-of-the-labor-climate-movement/): On November 17, 2018 the Labor Network for Sustainability organized the Northeast Regional Labor Convergence on Climate Change. The convergence brought together over 90 labor leaders and allies from eight states across the northeast to discuss labor’s role in the urgently needed transition to a just and sustainable economy that both protects the climate as well as the lives and livelihoods of workers and frontline communities that are threatened by climate catastrophe. - [Washington State Labor Federation President: “We must go all-in on clean energy to save our environment, our economy, our jobs — and our lives”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/washington-state-labor-federation-president-we-must-go-all-in-on-clean-energy-to-save-our-environment-our-economy-our-jobs-and-our-lives/): Jeff Johnson is President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the largest labor organization in the Evergreen State, representing the interests of more than 600 local unions and 450,000 rank-and-file union members. “It’s a line in the sand and what it says to our species is that this is the moment and we must - [Spanish Coal Miners Win a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/spanish-coal-miners-win-a-just-transition/): The Guardian reports: Spain is to shut down most of its coalmines by the end of the year after government and unions struck a deal that will mean €250m (£221m) will be invested in mining regions over the next decade. Unions hailed the mining deal – which covers Spain’s privately owned pits – as a model - [U.S. Economy Faces Hit from Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/u-s-economy-faces-hit-from-climate-change/): The New York Times reports: A major scientific report issued by 13 federal agencies Friday presents the starkest warnings to date of the consequences of climate change for the United States, predicting that if significant steps are not taken to rein in global warming, the damage will knock as much as 10 percent off the - [Feeling Heat-Stressed-Out?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/feeling-heat-stressed-out/): In a recent article on “Public Law and Climate Disasters,” Sidney Shapiro and Katherine Tracy conclude, “The health, safety, and economic risks to workers associated with climate change have not received the attention they deserve.” Rising temperatures associated with heat stress and other health and safety hazards are growing, but regulatory agencies, such as OSHA, - [Jobs, Anyone?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/jobs-anyone/): According to the new IPCC report released October 8, the world will have to invest $3 trillion dollars a year to keep counter global warming. That’s an awful lot of jobs! Sources: Implications for new investment » Full report » - [After Florence](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/after-florence/): Black Workers for Justice penned an inspired piece calling for action, optimisim and change in the upcoming election in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Full text below. By Black Workers for Justice “These are not natural disasters, they are the logical outcome of a society that believes some people and some places are expendable. They - [IPCC Report Demands Immediate Action and Workers must take the Lead](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/ipcc-report-demands-immediate-action-and-workers-must-take-the-lead/): Graphic from IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C By Todd Vachon The latest report issued by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on October 8 is the starkest report to date on the real and immediate threat that global warming poses to human existence. The report finds that if greenhouse - [Labor and Community Together on Storm Water Capture in Los Angeles](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-and-community-together-on-storm-water-capture-in-los-angeles/): Above: LA County Federation of Labor President Rusty Hicks speaks in favor of improving LA’s storm water systems and committing funds to disadvantaged communities and ongoing maintenance to generate jobs and workforce training. By Veronica Wilson Recently, Los Angeles labor unions have put their weight behind Measure W for Safe, Clean Water on the November - [Unions in Washington Fight to Become the First State in the Nation to Put a Price on Carbon](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/unions-in-washington-fight-to-become-the-first-state-in-the-nation-to-put-a-price-on-carbon/): Retired refinery worker Steve Garey shares why he supports Washington State Ballot Inititiave 1631. Watch the video » By Judy Twedt, Trustee UAW 4121 and Steering Committee Member, Yes on 1631 For over two years, unions across Washington State have been part of the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy. It’s an historically broad coalition - [Youth Climate Movement Backs Jobs Guarantee for All](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/youth-climate-movement-backs-jobs-guarantee-for-all/): The youth climate movement Sunrise has issued a call for a federal Jobs Guarantee that would provide jobs for all, focused on the transition to a climate-safe economy. Sunrise is a movement “to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. - [What South Florida Workers Know about Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/what-south-florida-workers-know-about-climate-change/): Cynthia Hernandez, the Executive Director of the South Florida AFL-CIO, recently gave a presentation on South Florida unions initiative to address climate change to a LNS videoconference, Cynthia can be heard 14 minutes from start time. - [Labor Rises for Climate, Jobs & Justice in San Francisco on September 8th](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-rises-for-climate-jobs-justice-in-san-francisco-on-september-8th/): More than 700 trade unionists and other labor activists joined an estimated crowd of 30,000 people in San Francisco on September 8, 2018 to Rise for Climate, Jobs & Justice. - [Government Workers Will Pay the Price of Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/government-workers-will-pay-the-price-of-climate-change/): The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Workers just passed a new resolution on climate change. Advocates used this LNS fact sheet warning that "Government workers will pay the price of climate change" and that "The failure to limit global warming is turning the climate crisis into a fiscal crisis." - [Resolution to Endorse Mobilization September 8, 2018 in San Francisco: California Rise for Climate, Jobs & Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/resolution-to-endorse-mobilization-september-8-2018-in-san-francisco-california-rise-for-climate-jobs-justice/): View the resolution in PDF here. Whereas, our members and our communities are suffering the ravages of pollution and climate change, as evidenced by extreme weather, unprecedented wild fires in urban areas and wilderness, continuing drought, rising temperatures, record hurricans and floods, and rising sea level; and Whereas, we are at a crossroads and have - [A Climate Constitution in the Courts and the Streets](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-climate-constitution-in-the-courts-and-the-streets/): By Jeremy Brecher What’s the Constitution got to do with climate? Current legal cases are now addressing that question. They are using the U.S. Constitution to bring climate protection into the courthouse. These cases range from youth demanding their constitutional right to a stable climate to activists who block fossil fuel pipeline construction and justify - [The New Poor People’s Campaign: Seeds of a Non-Party Opposition?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-new-poor-peoples-campaign-seeds-of-a-non-party-opposition/): All of us who have participated in one or another aspect of what has come to be known as the Trump Resistance should think about how we should be connecting with the new Poor People’s Campaign—and with each other. - [How New York City Won Divestment from Fossil Fuels](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/how-new-york-city-won-divestment-from-fossil-fuels/): This campaign was years in the making, but Donald Trump's election and the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord spurred the local activism that led to this important victory. - [Transit Equity Day was a Success](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/transit-equity-video-townhalls/): On February 5th, campaigns across the country will be standing up for the rights of all people to high-quality public transportation powered by clean/renewable energy. - [Jobs Beyond Coal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/jobs-beyond-coal-a-manual-for-communities-workers-and-environmentalists/): This manual is intended for anyone—communities, unions, environmentalists, native tribes, public officials, and others—involved with or affected by the retirement of coal-fired power plants. It is designed as a guide for those who wish to make the transition away from coal in a way that is most beneficial and least threatening to ordinary workers, consumers, and community members. - [A Just Transition for Appalachia – Is There a Way?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-just-transition-for-appalachia-is-there-a-way/): Thirty thousand coal mining jobs have been lost since 2011. In central Appalachia, seven thousand miners lost their jobs from 2015 to 2016.54 The US Energy Information Administration expects central Appalachia’s coal output to decline nearly sixty percent by 2035, mostly due to competition from other fuels. The EPA predicts that coal, which until recently - [A Labor Rights Statement of Support](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/a-labor-rights-statement-of-support/): Unions are often asked to support resolutions to protect the climate and the environment. Shouldn’t environmental and climate organizations be asked to pass comparable resolutions supporting worker rights? [Template Resolution Inside] - [Fighting for Green Solutions to Pittsburgh's "Sewage in the Rivers Problem"](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/fighting-for-green-solutions-to-pittsburghs-sewage-in-the-rivers-problem/): Thomas Hoffman of the Sierra Club describes a community-labor-environment coalition to fight privatization and promote a $2-4 billion sewer renewal for the city’s regional water and sewer system. - [NYC Public Pension Funds Fossil Fuels Divestment Campaign](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/nyc-public-pension-funds-fossil-fuels-divestment-campaign/): By Nancy Romer [Nancy Romer is a union and climate justice activist, a co-founder of the Environmental Justice committee of her union PSC-CUNY (AFT local #2334), and on the steering committees of Divest NY and Peoples Climate March-NY. She recently retired after 42 years of teaching at Brooklyn College, City University of New York and served on her union's executive committee for nine years.] - [Labor Network for Sustainability Calls for "Climate Solidarity" on Anniversary of Superstorm Sandy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-network-for-sustainability-calls-for-climate-solidarity-on-anniversary-of-superstorm-sandy/): On this fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, it is time to recognize that climate change is a dagger pointing at the jobs and well-being of American workers. Since Sandy we have seen storm after storm, wildfire after wildfire, flood after flood, all demonstrating the greater intensity that climate scientists have warned us will - [The Climate Insurgency Trilogy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-climate-insurgency-trilogy/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is pleased to announce the publication of Jeremy Brecher’s Climate Insurgency Trilogy. Together these three books present a comprehensive look at the challenges and possibilities of protecting the earth’s climate through a global nonviolent climate insurgency. - [Climate Solidarity: Workers Vs. Warming](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/climate-solidarity-workers-vs-warming/): Climate Solidarity presents a vision for the labor climate movement. It offers a comprehensive and at times provocative view of the past, present, and future of organized labor and climate change. It provides a substantive analysis for leaders and activists in the labor climate movement. It presents a well thought out, historically informed analysis both of climate change and of organized labor. - [“We Knew Big Changes Were Coming to our Industry”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/we-knew-big-changes-were-coming-to-our-industry/): IBEW Local 1245: [This article is based on an interview with Tom Dalzell, Business Manager of IBEW Local 1245 conducted by Jeremy Brecher. Headquartered in Vacaville in northern California but extending into Nevada, Local 1245 has more than 18,000 members, 12,000 in Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the rest in nearly 100 signatory contractors with - [“We Have to Have an Eye Toward the Future”:](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/we-have-to-have-an-eye-toward-the-future/): LA’s IBEW Local 11 Spearheads a Transition to Clean Energy Labor Network for Sustainability Los Angeles IBEW Local Union 11 represents 13,000 Electricians, Communications and Systems Installers, Transportation Systems Journeyman, Civil Service Electricians, Apprentices, Construction Wireman and Construction Electricians. It describes itself as “a movement for social justice, safe jobsites, training, - [San Diego area's Local 569 Is Helping to Lead the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/san-diego-areas-local-569-is-helping-to-lead-the-transition-to-a-low-carbon-economy/): How did Local 569 first get involved with environmental, climate, and energy policy issues? The Local has progressive membership and leadership who recognized doing the right thing for the environment can be a win-win for workers and the community – and in many cases, generates even more jobs. Cleaner, healthier communities and safer job sites - [The Huntley Experiment](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-huntley-experiment/): As the Huntley coal-fired power plant in Tonawanda, NY, a working class suburb of Buffalo, NY, began cutting back on its production, the company began cutting back on its payments to the town; as a result, three schools were closed and 135 school employees lost their jobs. The workforce at the plant was slashed from - [Jobs for Climate and Justice: A Worker Alternative to the Trump Agenda](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/jobs-for-climate-and-justice-a-worker-alternative-to-the-trump-agenda/): We are in a critical political moment. The impacts of climatechange are increasingly severe, taking a toll on our health, environment and our economies. In the midst of this growing crisis, the United States now has a President and Congressional leadership that simultaneously attack climateclimate science and aim to comprehensively roll back climate protection measures - [Join the Labor Network for Sustainability for People's Climate Movement Events, April 28th-30th, Washington, DC](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/join-the-labor-network-for-sustainability-for-peoples-climate-movement-events-april-28th-30th-washington-dc/): For those of you planning to be in Washington DC for the Peoples' Climate Movement March for Climate, Jobs and Justice on April 29th, we invite you to join LNS for our other activities that weekend - [Trump's Energy Plan: A "Brighter Future" for American Workers?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trumps-energy-plan-a-brighter-future-for-american-workers/): Trump’s Energy Plan: A “Brighter Future” for American Workers? Labor Network for Sustainability Full PDF of the White Paper can be found HERE The day he was inaugurated, President Donald Trump issued his “America First Energy Plan.”[1] It presented policies it said would “stimulate our economy, ensure our security, and protect our health” and - [Trial of the Century Pits Trump Climate Denialism Against 'Right to a Climate System Capable of Sustaining Human Life'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/trial-of-the-century-pits-trump-climate-denialism-against-right-to-a-climate-system-capable-of-sustaining-human-life/): Why 'Climate Kids' vs. Trump is no ordinary lawsuit by Jeremy Brecher Two days after the election of Donald Trump, 21 plaintiffs aged 9-20 won a court ruling that may be just as important as that election in determining our future. As the world hurtles into climate catastrophe, the decision by Judge Ann Aiken in - [Organizing Social Self-Defense Under the Trump Regime](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/organizing-social-self-defense-under-the-trump-regime/): Interview with Jeremy Brecher conducted by Scott Harris The original can be found on Between the Lines Listen to the interview HERE After a polarizing presidential election campaign like few others in U.S. political history, Donald Trump will enter the White House with a majority of Americans disapproving of the erratic real estate billionaire. An ABC - [SOCIAL SELF-DEFENSE: Protecting People and Planet against Trump and Trumpism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/social-self-defense-protecting-people-and-planet-against-trump-and-trumpism/): By Jeremy Brecher Introduction: These are times to try our souls Donald Trump and a powerful collection of anti-social forces have taken control of the U.S. government. They seek permanent domination in service of their individual and class wealth and power. Trump’s presidency threatens immigrants, African Americans, Muslims, workers, women, children, the - [How Labor and Climate United Can Trump Trump](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/how-labor-and-climate-united-can-trump-trump/): Donald Trump and his congressional Republican allies have taken control of the U.S. government. The result threatens to be devastating for both labor and the climate -- not to mention immigrants, African Americans, Muslims, women, children, the elderly, the disabled, LGBTQ people, and many others. The Trump regime is potentially vulnerable because it only - [How a Railway Workers Union Won New Technology That Improves Jobs and Reduces Greenhouse Gases](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/how-a-railway-workers-union-won-new-technology-that-improves-jobs-and-reduces-greenhouse-gases/): By Karl (Fritz) Edler BLET Div. 482, retired Special Rep, Railroad Workers United Washington, DC This is the story of one group of workers who used their union to improve their own conditions – and fight climate change – by proposing and winning their own plan for investment in improved technology. It provides an - [Vermont Labor Council Initiates Social Self-Defense](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/vermont-labor-council-initiates-social-self-defense/): by Traven Leyshon, president of the Green Mountain Labor Council, AFL-CIO and Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Following on what was for many of us the surprise election of Trump, and the consolidation of a far-right Republican Congress, our small Vermont Green Mountain Central Labor Council called an Emergency Community Meeting. - [People's Climate Movement Groups Call for Urgent Action for Standing Rock](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/peoples-climate-movement-groups-call-for-urgent-action-for-standing-rock/): The fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline brings together two critically important struggles for environmental justice: the centuries long struggle for respect for the sovereignty of Native tribes and the global battle to curtail the climate crisis. These issues are intertwined, and the outcome of the struggle at Standing Rock will heavily impact what lies - [U.S. Climate Envoy Jonathan Pershing: Five Feet Of Sea Level Rise By 2050 Possible](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/u-s-climate-envoy-jonathan-pershing-five-feet-of-sea-level-rise-by-2050-possible/): The original article written by Daphne Wysham can be found at the [Huffington Post] The mood in Marrakech was somber when top climate envoy for President Barack Obama Jonathan Pershing dropped a bombshell on observers gathered there: The rapid warming in polar regions the world is now witnessing may result in five feet—or 1.5 meters— - [Climate Emergency: Global Insurgency](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/climate-emergency-global-insurgency/): There is no choice but to escalate today’s campaigns against global fossil fuel infrastructure - [Jobs, Justice, and the Clean-Energy Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/jobs-justice-and-the-clean-energy-future/): A series of reports by the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), and partners provides good news: The U.S. can meet the targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction that climate scientists say are necessary while also creating half-a-million jobs annually and reducing the cost of energy to consumers. The reports, gathered in the LNS Climate, Jobs, and Justice Project, also show that protecting the climate in a way that maximizes the benefit for working people and discriminated-against groups will take deliberate public policies and action by unions and their social movement allies. - [Dakota Access Pipeline and the Future of American Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/dakota-access-pipeline-and-the-future-of-american-labor/): By Jeremy Brecher Labor Network for Sustainability As United States Energy Transfers Partners began building the Dakota Access Pipeline through territory sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, the tribe began an escalating campaign against the pipeline. By this summer nearly 200 tribes around the country had passed resolutions opposing the pipeline and many hundreds - ["Just Transition" - Just What Is It?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/just-transition-just-what-is-it/): An Analysis of Language, Strategies, and Projects A JOINT PROJECT OF: Labor Network for Sustainability 11 Pine Avenue Takoma Park, Maryland 20912 info@labor4sustainability.org website: www.labor4sustainability.org Strategic Practice: Grassroots Policy Project 1515 Oxford Street, 1D Berkeley, CA 94709 rhealey@grassrootspolicy.org website: www.strategicpractice.org Introduction We are now one-sixth of the way through the twenty-first century and well into - [Why Trade Unionists Should March for a Clean Energy Revolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/why-trade-unionists-should-march-for-a-clean-energy-revolution/): By Joe Uehlein Labor Network for Sustainability The Labor Network for Sustainability is calling on trade unionists to go to Philadelphia to march for a Clean Energy Revolution on Sunday, July 24. Why? We face shocking new data that climate scientists have gathered in just the past six months, and the shocking reality of climate - [American Unions Form Alliance to Prevent Climate Disaster and Promote Prosperity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/american-unions-form-alliance-to-prevent-climate-disaster-and-promote-prosperity/): [By Joe Uehlein and Jeremy Brecher] Step by step the American labor movement is increasingly recognizing and responding to the threat of climate change. While the AFL-CIO never supported the Kyoto or Copenhagen climate agreements on the grounds that they were bad for jobs and the American economy, it “applauded” the Paris climate agreement as - [Michael Leon Guerrero Joining the LNS team as Executive Director](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/michael-leon-guerrero-joining-the-lns-team-as-executive-director/): The Labor Network for Sustainability is very pleased to announce that Michael Leon Guerrero will be joining the LNS team as Executive Director. Michael has been the National Coordinator of the Climate Justice Alliance for the past two years. Last month Michael announced that he is leaving CJA in the fall. He will begin work - [This Is What Insurgency Looks Like](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/this-is-what-insurgency-looks-like/): [By Jeremy Brecher] In a small church in the Albany, NY’s low-income, predominantly African-American South End, forty people were gathered for a community meeting. They were organizing a protest against trains carrying potentially explosive oil – dubbed by the residents “bomb trains” -- that were running through their neighborhood. City Counselor Vivian Kornegay told the - [Union Members Don’t Oppose Environmental Protections. They’re Actually More Likely To Support Them.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/union-members-dont-oppose-environmental-protections-theyre-actually-more-likely-to-support-them/): [By Jeremy Brecher and Todd Vachon] Union workers attacking environmentalists—it has become a trope of our time. But what do union members actually think about the environment? In a study soon to be published in Labor Studies Journal, we report our findings on workers attitudes and behaviors regarding a variety of environmental issues. In particular, - [Using the “Public Trust” to Frame “Break Free From Fossil Fuels” Actions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/using-the-public-trust-to-frame-break-free-from-fossil-fuels-actions/): [by Jeremy Brecher, David Solnit] What if we defined ourselves – to the movement, the public, and the courts – not as criminals but as law-enforcers trying to halt governments and corporations from committing the greatest crime in human history? - [New Report: Protect the Climate, Save Money, and Create Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/new-report-protect-the-climate-save-money-and-create-jobs/): Today labor and environmental organizations released a new report, The Clean Energy Future: Protecting the Climate, Creating Jobs and Saving Money, showing that the United States can reduce greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions 80 percent by 2050 -- while adding half-a-million jobs and saving Americans billions of dollars on their electrical, heating, and transportation costs. Joe - [New Report on “Connecticut’s Clean Energy Future”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/reports/new-report-on-connecticuts-clean-energy-future/): What can one state contribute to protecting the global climate? According to a new report “Connecticut’s Clean Energy Future: Climate goals and employment benefits,” Connecticut can realize its official climate goal – reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050 – while adding more than six thousand jobs to the state - [A New Wave of Climate Insurgents Defines Itself as Law-Enforcers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-new-wave-of-climate-insurgents-defines-itself-as-law-enforcers/): [By Jeremy Brecher] One in six Americans say they would personally engage in nonviolent civil disobedience against corporate or government activities that make global warming worse. That’s about 40 million adults. The fate of the earth may depend on them — and others around the world — doing so. Such actions are about to take - [Making the Promises Real: Labor and the Paris Climate Agreement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/2830/): [By Jeremy Brecher] As nearly 200 nations gathered in Paris approved the UN Climate Change Agreement, the AFL-CIO issued a statement that broke new ground on climate. While the AFL-CIO opposed the Kyoto climate agreement and never supported the failed Copenhagen agreement, it “applauded the Paris climate change agreement as “a landmark achievement in international - [Climate Insurgency After Paris](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/climate-insurgency-after-paris/): [by Jeremy Brecher] In December of 2015 – the earth’s hottest year since record keeping began -- 195 nations met in Paris to forge an agreement to combat global warming. The governments of the world acknowledged their individual and collective duty to protect the earth’s climate -- and then willfully refused to perform that duty. - [A Superfund for Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-superfund-for-workers/): When the Dominion Corporation proposed, on April 1, 2013, to build a liquefied natural gas export facility at Cove Point, Md., right on the Chesapeake Bay,seven hundred people demonstrated against it and many were arrested in a series of civil disobedience actions. But an open letter endorsing the project maintained it would “create more than - [LNS Job Announcement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/lns-job-announcement/): Team Administrator Voices for a Sustainable Future/Labor Network for Sustainability Location: Remote/Flexible – Washington DC Area Preferred Reports to: Executive Director Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) http://www.labor4sustainability.org LNS is dedicated to economic, social and environmental sustainability. LNS seeks to educate and engage workers and the labor movement about sustainability issues, to educate and engage the - [Clean Energy Strategy Must Map Way To Climate Goal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/2715/): [States are becoming increasingly important battlegrounds for climate protection. The EPA's Clean Power Plan looks to states to design their own plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But to do so most states will have to reorient their energy policies away from fossil fuels. Here's how an alliance of labor and climate protection advocates called - [The EPA’s Clean Power Plan: How Unions and Allies Can Protect Affected Workers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-epas-clean-power-plan-how-unions-and-allies-can-protect-affected-workers/): The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just issued the final text of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), a regulation whose purpose is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that climate scientists say are causing global warming. EPA and independent studies indicate that the CPP will create far more jobs than it eliminates. However, some - [The EPA’s Clean Power Plan and Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-epas-clean-power-plan-and-jobs/): The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to issue the final text of a regulation called the Clean Power Plan (CPP) whose purpose is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that climate scientists say are causing global warming. There is already considerable controversy surrounding the CPP -- and jobs and workers are at the - [A Scenario for Climate Protection and Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/a-scenario-for-climate-protection-and-jobs/): How can the United States actually meet the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that climate scientists say are necessary to forestall catastrophic climate change without catastrophic economic impacts on American workers? Green Growth: A U.S. Program for Controlling Climate Change and Expanding Job Opportunities by Robert Pollin, Heidi Garrett-Peltier, James Heintz, and Bracken Hendricks - [Seattle Labor Unions Join Call Saying “Shell No”](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/seattle-labor-unions-join-call-saying-shell-no/): For Immediate Release: June 11, 2015 Contact: Tom Geiger, 206-604-3421 In a strong show of support for a better future, local labor unions have signed a letter to oppose the decision by the Port of Seattle Commission to permit the Shell Oil rig to have safe harbor in our Elliott Bay. We recognize that other labor - [Reversing Climate Change: What Will It Take?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/reversing-climate-change-what-will-it-take-protecting-the-future
-a-strategic-proposal-to-stop-climate-change/): [By Jeremy Brecher; Cross-Posted with New Labor Forum] On the weekend of September 21, 2014, people in 162 countries joined 2,646 events to demand global reductions in the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are generating climate catastrophe. An estimated forty thousand marched in London; thirty thousand in Melbourne; and twenty-five thousand in Paris. Some four - [Coal: Making a Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/issues/coal/): By Joe Uehlein with Jeremy Brecher, Tim Costello, and Brendan Smith Workers have often felt threatened by measures to protect the environment. Today such fears are likely to be augmented, especially in a time of soaring unemployment, by the large changes necessary to protect the climate from global warming. Environmentalists have often addressed this challenge - [Labor's changing approach to climate change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor’s-changing-approach-to-climate-change/): Some unions dissented early from AFL-CIO climate policy. In 1990 the Steelworkers, America's largest and most diversified manufacturing union with a strong history of environmentalism created an executive board committee on environmental issues and issued a policy statement saying that global warming "may be the single greatest problem we face. Some have compared its possible - [Unions Need to Sever All Ties with Anti-Climate Bill Groups](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/unions-need-to-sever-all-ties-with-anti-climate-bill-groups/): [Cross-posted with HuffingtonPost.com] Under escalating pressure from activists, Nike, the utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and others have publicly resigned from the US Chamber of Commerce over its opposition to climate protection policies. It's time for labor unions to follow suit by cutting all ties with groups opposing climate legislation like the Chamber-funded - [Labor's Stake in Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/issues/labors-stake-in-climate-change/): Climate change will directly affect most American workplaces not in some theoretical future but in the working lives of those now in the industry. And their unions will be affected right along with them. New Orleans was perhaps the most highly unionized city in the South. But when Katrina hit, unions representing everyone from teachers - [LNS Says Climate Bills Needs Better Worker Protections](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor-group-says-climate-bills-needs-better-worker-protections/): The Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) released a White Paper today arguing that current House and Senate climate bills do not do enough to protect workers, and laying out an alternative strategy for worker protection. The White Paper, Climate Legislation Must Provide a Just Transition for Workers, kicks of the LNS's campaign to strengthen provisions - [Global Warming and Global Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/global-warming-and-global-labor/): [This is the first in a series of LNS posts as representatives of trade unions around the world head off to Copenhagen] While world leaders play the "blame game" for their failure to negotiate a binding climate agreement in Copenhagen, trade unions from around the world, almost unnoticed, have forged their own common approach to - [A Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/a-just-transition/): [Second in the series "Labor goes to Copenhagen"] At the core of global labor's strategy for climate protection is the idea of a "just transition" to a low-carbon economy. A just transition means that the burden of change that benefits everyone will not be placed disproportionately on a few. It means that those most vulnerable - [Green Jobs in a Global Green New Deal](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/green-jobs-in-a-global-green-new-deal/): [Fifth in the series "Labor goes to Copenhagen] The effort to address the worst environmental catastrophe in human history is coming in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Business and governments have used economic adversity as an excuse to limit efforts to address climate change. As representatives - [Unions call for Science-Based Reductions in Greenhouse Gases](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/unions-call-for-science-based-reductions-in-greenhouse-gases/): Over the past couple of years, the American labor movement has become an enthusiastic supporter of expanding "green jobs" that fight global warming. But policies to reduce carbon emissions to levels scientists say are safe have been a harder pill to swallow. Now, in a significant breakthrough, three significant unions have come out for the - [Labor and Climate Change: A Briefing Paper for Activists](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor-and-climate-change-a-briefing-paper-for-activists/): by Tim Costello and the Labor Network for Sustainability [PDF version of this report is available here] ["Labor and Climate Change" is a briefing paper that provides activists inside and outside the labor movement a way to understand the interests and concerns of different segments of organized labor in climate change issues. It was the - [Why Green Jobs Should Be Union Jobs](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/why-green-jobs-should-be-union-jobs/): By Joe Uehlein, Labor Network for Sustainability [PDF version of this report is available here] Thousands of "green jobs" have been created by President Obama's stimulus package; millions more will be created by proposed climate legislation; tens of millions will be required to create the low-carbon economy that scientists say is necessary for the survival - [Talking to Labor About Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/talking-to-labor-about-climate-change/): [LNS has been hearing from members that some in the environmental movement have been struggling with how to talk with labor allies about climate change. So we decided to put together some talking points to help enviros jump start these vital conversations. Next up is a companion piece for labor movement folks on "Talking to - [The Building Trades and Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/the-building-trades-and-climate-change/): [This is the first in a series of posts designed to provide a strategy for addressing organized labor's stake in climate change. Its goal is to provide activists inside and outside the labor movement with the information they need to help shape effective, worker friendly climate protection policies and garner support for them from organized - [Labor and the Challenge of Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor-and-the-challenge-of-climate-change/): Today the American labor movement"”like the rest of American society and like labor movements throughout the world"”is being forced to grapple with climate change and climate change mitigation. Organized labor's approach to climate change is primarily employment based. Unions like the green job gains; but they fear the potential job losses from phasing out carbon - [The Last Oyster Haul?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/the-last-oyster-haul/): By Brendan Smith Thanks to greenhouse gas emissions, it's looking like my days as a commercial fisherman are numbered. I've been working the sea on-and-off my whole life. At 15 years old I quit high school to work the lobster boats out of Lynn, MA; later I fished cod and crab boats on the Bering - [Making Climate Protection Worker-Friendly](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/making-climate-protection-worker-friendly/): by Joe Uehlein "There are no jobs on a dead planet." That's how one union leader answered those who say that unions should be concerned only about jobs, and leave the planet to someone else to take care of. Many unions and both labor federations hailed Barack Obama's bold talk about solving America's jobs crisis - [California Steamin'](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/california-steamin’/): "The California Jobs Initiative." Sounds like a good idea. After all, California's unemployment rate is now over twelve percent. But there's something a little funny here. Turns out that the main financial backers of the "California Jobs Initiative" are a bunch of oilmen from Texas. Texas-based Valero Energy Corporation gave a cool half-million, and along with - [BP: No Friend of the Oysterman](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/bp-no-friend-of-the-oysterman/): [By Brendan Smith, original posted on HuffingtonPost] With gallows humor, my fellow oystermen around the country have been passing around a Youtube clip of a 1960 educational film produced by the oil industry entitled "Lifeline to an Oyster." This reel explains how in the late 1950's Louisiana oystermen began sounding the alarm that oil production - [Workers of the World – Cool It!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/workers-of-the-world-–-cool-it/): The meeting you probably heard about: At the end of June, leaders from the world's richest and largest countries met in Toronto, Canada. As the global economy festered in its worst crisis since the 1930s, as poverty and unemployment tormented growing millions, as climate change devastated more and more people and places, world leaders did - [Globalization, Neoliberalism, and Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/974/): As the global economy hurtles toward Great Recession II, the earth hurtles toward climate catastrophe. Both represent the results of a neoliberal deregulation that has left humanity no means to shape our economies to serve human needs -- not even the need for economic and environmental survival. How global movements respond to these intertwined environmental - [The Rise of the New Power Co-Op Movement](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/the-rise-of-the-new-power-co-op-movement/): By Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher Breakdown at Copenhagen. Climate legislation stalled. EPA regulation of greenhouse gasses threatened. Is climate protection dead? Maybe not. Climate protection has gone local. Political leaders may fiddle while the world burns, but grassroots groups around the country are organizing to cut greenhouse gas emissions and build a greener future - [Ten Things Labor Is Doing Around the World to Fight Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/ten-things-labor-is-doing-around-the-world-to-fight-climate-change/): On 10/10/10 thousands of organizations around the world will be holding a GLOBAL WORK PARTY for the "BIGGEST DAY OF PRACTICAL ACTION TO CUT CARBON THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN." The climate protection movement 350.org is especially encouraging unions and their members to participate in this "Day to Celebrate Climate Solutions." Many unions are - [Proposition 23: The Real Job Killer](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/proposition-23-the-real-job-killer/): [By Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher] The climate denial lobby behind Proposition 23 in California argues they're fighting to protect jobs by overturning what they like to call California's "Job Killing Global Warming Law." But don't be fooled: if passed, Proposition 23 will remove all hope of protecting California's economy -- and its workers -- - [Coming Now to a Job Near You!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/coming-now-to-a-job-near-you/): Why Climate Change Matters for California Workers [A Discussion Paper by the Labor Network for Sustainability; PDF version with footnotes is available here] California is at the forefront of driving the expansion of the clean energy economy. California's groundbreaking climate law, the Global Warming Solutions Act -- AB 32 -- is the most comprehensive climate - [Climate Change in California: The Future Has Arrived](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/climate-change-in-california-the-future-has-arrived/): [By Brendan Smith and Jim Young, National Education Director at the Blue Green Alliance] Climate change is not a far off threat -- the impacts are already being felt in California and they're going to get steadily worse in the coming decades. For more than a generation, scientists have predicted that climate change caused by - [Backgrounder on Labor, Climate, and the EPA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uncategorized/backgrounder-on-labor-climate-and-the-epa/): [by the Labor Network for Sustainability; a footnoted version is available here.] With the collapse of climate protection legislation in Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency is stepping in to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. While American labor unions have been heavily involved in the discussion of climate legislation and green - [Fighting Doom: The New Politics of Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/fighting-doom-the-new-politics-of-climate-change/): [by Brendan Smith; Cross-Posted with HuffingtonPost.com] I am not an environmentalist. But all I think about these days is the climate crisis. I admit I have arrived late to the party. Only recently have I begun to realize what others have known for decades: The climate crisis is not, at its core, an environmental issue. - [EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gasses Is Good for Labor: Five Reasons Why](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/epa-regulation-of-greenhouse-gasses-is-good-for-labor-five-reasons-why/): With the collapse of climate protection legislation in Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, acting under a mandate from the US Supreme Court, is stepping in to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. At the end of 2009 it issued an "endangerment finding" that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere "threaten the public - [A Labor Guide to Renewable Energy Standards](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/a-labor-guide-to-renewable-energy-standards/): In all the jargon-laden field of sustainability and climate change, some of the most common but most unnecessarily obscure terms are "Renewable Energy Standards" (RES), also known as "Renewable Electricity Standards" (RES) and "Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)." All are essentially the same thing -- requirements that electric companies get a certain proportion of their energy - [Climate Protection Strategy: Beyond Business-­as-­Usual](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/climate-protection-strategy-beyond-business-­as-­usual/): [With the defeat of US climate legislation, the stalling of international climate negotiations, and the rise of tea party climate denialism, is climate protection doomed? LNS's discussion paper, "Climate Protection Strategy: Beyond Business-as-Usual," presents a strategy designed to win popular support and make countries compete to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It was prepared for the - [The Durban Challenge](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/the-durban-challenge/): How Unions Can Help Secure a Binding Global Climate Agreement in 2011 By Sean Sweeney [Editor's Note: The international trade union movement has given little-heralded but significant support for a deal that protects the earth's climate while providing a "just transition" that protects working people around the world. In this discussion paper Sean Sweeney argues - [New Study Reveals the Benefits of EPA Regulation for Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/new-study-reveals-the-benefits-of-epa-regulation-for-labor/): You can hear the echo chamber reverberate the talking points: "¢ The Independent Petroleum Association of America complains that drilling permits and pollution are curbing job growth. "¢ The head of the National Association of Manufacturers and the governor of Virginia write a joint article called "Proposed EPA rules could hurt job growth." "¢ Presidential - [The Attack on Labor: Six Reasons Sustainability Activists Should Care](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/the-attack-on-labor-six-reasons-sustainability-activists-should-care/): Advocates for sustainability, under assault from climate deniers and drill-baby-drillers, are struggling to protect the earth from global warming, desertification, extinction of plants and animals, and other looming threats. Why should they also be concerned about the escalating attack on America's labor unions? According to a recent New York Times report, many governors and state - [Obama Needs a Just Transition Taskforce](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/1392/): President Barack Obama recently established a Presidential Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. He told the first meeting, "The biggest challenge we're seeing right now is that unemployment is way too high." He asked them to come up with "some concrete deliverables" to lower the 9% unemployment rate. Here is a concrete proposal to create jobs - [Should We Remain Silent About Climate Change?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/should-we-remain-silent-about-climate-change/): by Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher To talk of climate change or not to talk of climate change -- that is the question. For the last several years many of the biggest players in the climate movement have argued that to save the planet we need to purge the words "global warming" and "climate change" - [Citing Jobs and Environment, More Unions Backing EPA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/citing-jobs-and-environment-more-unions-backing-epa/): by Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith At the start of 2011, as the energy corporations, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the Tea Party right launched their assault on environmental protection and the EPA, it looked like public opinion and organized labor might just be swept along. Instead, much of the public and the labor - [Calling All Artists: The Climate Movement Needs You!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/calling-all-artists-the-climate-movement-needs-you/): Original Appeared in Grist Magazine, By Brendan Smith and Joe Uehlein Throughout history, artists have joined forces with political movements to battle injustice and demand a better and more beautiful world. Picasso's "Guernica" captured the horrors of the German bombing of civilians in 1937. "Solidarity Forever," "We Shall Overcome," and "Give Peace a Chance" expressed - [Cool Comforts--Bargaining For Our Survival](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pdf/cool-comforts-i/): What can -- and should-- trade unionists do about global warming? Here is a handbook for union activists that lays out the ways and means for unions to be in the forefront of climate protection both in the workplace and in the public policy arena. It tells how unions can bargain for a greener workplace, how they can make sure that climate transition creates good new jobs, and how they can assure a just transition for workers affected by climate policies. Prepared by the New Brunswick Union of Public and Private Employees, it draws on the experience of workers in the US and Canada and around the world to lay out practical steps that unions can take right now to combat climate change. - [Are Progressives in Denial About Climate Change?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/are-progressives-in-denial-about-climate-change/): [by Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher] If you listen to right wing commentators, you might think American progressives are leading the charge to protect our planet from climate change. Would that it were so! All around the country, progressives are fighting to make our world a better place to live. In the midst of an - [Pipeline Climate Disaster: The Keystone XL Pipeline and Labor](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/pipeline-climate-disaster-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-and-labor/): [by Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith] More than two million American construction workers -- nearly one in five -- are currently unemployed. Factories that produce building materials are operating at only half their capacity. So when a private company proposes a project that it claims will spur the creation of 118,000 new jobs, it is - [Why I'm Marching with Bill McKibben to Protest the Keystone Pipeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/why-i’m-marching-with-bill-mckibben-to-protest-the-keystone-xl-pipeline/): by Joe Uehlein Sometimes a decision forces you to think deeply about what you believe in and how you act on those beliefs. It was like that when the climate protection leader Bill McKibben asked me to sign a letter calling for civil disobedience to block the building of a pipeline designed to carry tar - [American Labor: A Sustainable Path](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/american-labor-a-sustainable-path/): By Joe Uehlein This Labor Day, as union membership falls to a mere seven percent of private sector workers and bargaining and political clout shrink to match, two roads diverge for American labor. One is to attempt to find a niche within an economic-political system that is ever more shaped by short-term greed and is therefore - [Labor, Sustainability, and Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/post/labor-sustainability-and-justice/): Globalization and free-market economics made great promises to create a better life for everyone. Instead they have produced an economy that is increasingly unjust and unsustainable. Indeed, they have produced twin catastrophes -- the economic crisis and the climate crisis. And far from being on the mend, each is getting rapidly worse. "Labor, Sustainability, and - [The Keystone Pipeline: Too Dirty for George W. Bush?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-keystone-pipeline-too-dirty-for-george-w-bush/): [by Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher] The Keystone XL pipeline, recently approved by the US State Department and awaiting President Obama's declaration that it is in the "national interest," will carry oil that is too dirty for the US government to buy -- under legislation signed by George W. Bush! In 2007, President Bush signed - [Climate Change: A Dagger Pointed at Your Job?](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/1618/): [Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith] Climate change has arrived in America. What will it mean for your job? Climate change affecting my job? Many people have never even considered the possibility. They have been misled by false assurances like the testimony of Douglas W. Elmendorf, the director of the supposedly objective Congressional Budget Office, who ## Pages - [Labor Network for Sustainability - Helping unions and their allies advance a climate action program that is ecologically sustainable and economically just.](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/): [et_pb_section fb_built="1" disabled_on="on|on|on" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" background_color="#39932c" z_index="999" custom_margin="||||false|false" custom_padding="8px||0px||false|false" disabled="on" locked="off" collapsed="on" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_row column_structure="2_3,1_3" disabled_on="on|on|off" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" custom_padding="10px||0px||false|false" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="2_3" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_menu menu_id="77" dropdown_menu_bg_color="#f9f9f9" dropdown_menu_text_color="#39932c" mobile_menu_bg_color="#f7f7f7" mobile_menu_text_color="#e09900" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" menu_font="Oswald|600||on|||||" menu_text_color="#ffffff" menu_font_size="13px" menu_letter_spacing="1px" menu_line_height="1.1em" background_color="rgba(0,0,0,0)" global_colors_info="{}"][/et_pb_menu][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_3" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_search button_color="#005030" placeholder_color="#00AA4F" _builder_version="4.17.6" _module_preset="default" form_field_background_color="#009347" form_field_text_color="#FFFFFF" form_field_focus_background_color="#00AA4F" form_field_focus_text_color="#FFFFFF" button_text_color="#FFFFFF" border_color_all="#056839" global_colors_info="{}"][/et_pb_search][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built="1" disabled_on="on|on|on" _builder_version="4.16" - [Events](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/events/): Events Below is a list of the book tour locations. Additional information about the tour will be updated as it becomes available. All Tour Flier | Instagram | Square Date Time Location More June 11 5:00 – 8:00 pm DetroitUAW 600 Union Hall10550 Dix Ave, Dearborn, MI 48120 Flier | Instagram | Square | - [Newsletters Archive](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/newsletter-archive/): Newsletter Archives Edition #107, Making a Living on a Living Planet | October 2026 Edition #106, Making a Living on a Living Planet | September 2026 Edition #105, Making a Living on a Living Planet | July-August 2026 Edition #104, Making a Living on a Living Planet | June 2026 Edition #103, Making a Living - [Three Roads Book & Music Tour](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/three-roads/): Three Roads, Labor, Music, Ecology by Joe Uehlein After decades organizing from within the labor establishment, Joe Uehlein realized that winning real climate and economic justice meant moving beyond the limits of traditional labor and environmentalism. As former secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Division and director of the AFL-CIO’s Center for Strategic Campaigns, Joe fought from the - [Contact Us](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/contact-us/): Media Inquiries Our Address:Labor Network for SustainabilityP.O. Box #5780, Takoma Park, MD 20913 Contact Us Name * First Last * Last Email * Zip Code * Organization Message If you are human, leave this field blank. Δ - [Joe Uehlein's Photo Gallery](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/three-roads/joe-uehleins-photo-gallery/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs use_custom_home_link=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” module_text_align=”center” sticky_enabled=”0″][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs] - [Organizing Toolkit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/organizing-toolkit/): How can you be involved? Coordinate or register a local action or event in your community and we will share it with our network. Visit the event page to add your action to our national map. See our social media toolkit for resources on how to share your actions, stories, or information to uplift Transit - [Transit Equity 2026](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/): Events | Sponsors & Sponsorship | Organizing Toolkit | Rosa’s Pancake Recipe | Education and Youth Organizing Tools Access the Transit Equity Day 2026 Social Media Toolkit TUNE IN BELOW WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4 @ NOON ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY LIVESTREAM A Week of Action On the week of Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, join the Labor Network for Sustainability - [Transportation Justice](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/): Transportation Justice Transportation is central to climate and economic justice. LNS organizes workers in rail, transit, trucking, and manufacturing to advance climate-friendly, worker-led transportation solutions. ​Key Campaigns: Transit Equity Network (TEN): Strengthening worker-rider alliances to expand public transit investment and ensure equitable transit access. Public Rail Now: Mobilizing rail workers and communities for electrified, publicly-owned - [Draft Resolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/organizing-toolkit/draft-resolution/): TRANSIT EQUITY DAY WHEREAS Rosa Parks was an iconic figure in the movements for social justice and racial equality, and played a major role in the inception of the Civil Rights movement that ended legal segregation in the United States; and WHEREAS the immediate focus of Rosa Parks’ historic protest was the unequal access of - [Staff](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/who-we-are/staff/): Executive Leadership Joshua Dedmond, Executive Director Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Joshua is a seasoned Southern organizer rooted in Black liberation, worker power, and grassroots democracy. He’s led campaigns with UAW, AFSCME, and the Fight for $15, and served as Central Mississippi Field Director for the Bernie Sanders campaign. Joshua began organizing with UAW’s Global Organizing - [Plan Your Actions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/organizing-toolkit/plan-your-actions/): COVID-19 Protocols Thank you for your interest and excitement in coordinating an action in honor of 2025 Transit Equity Day. As COVID-19 is still a relevant and urgent concern, especially among our essential transit workers, our safety is of our utmost concern. Please continue to consider protocols by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - [Video Library](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/organizing-toolkit/video-library/): Organizing Videos: Watch the videos below for tips on making your Transit Equity Day a success! TWEET IT Transit Equity Network Presents: Predatory MicrotransitFeaturing Joshua Hatton and Kristine Bray, members of No Bus Cuts Denton WATCH FULL VIDEO >> https://youtu.be/hvtKbxGep3wWATCH TEASER >> https://youtu.be/KZzdpCA72xo TWEET IT Transit Equity Network Presents: Transit on the BallotFeaturing Congressman Hank - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: Join us in supporting the efforts of many people who are already working to support public transit in their communities. We would love to highlight your work and connect it - [Rosa’s Pancake Recipe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026/rosas-pancake-recipe/): Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite Pancake” recipe was written on the back of an envelope. After she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955, she and her husband lost their jobs and eventually moved to Detroit. They struggled financially and had to be frugal, which is why she reused papers, like - [Organizing Toolkit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/organizing-toolkit/): Thinking of performing an action? Want to write letters to the editor or draft a resolution for your town? This Organizing Toolkit contains many videos, writing tips, and drafts that you can use to create a Transit Equity Day action! Plan Your Action Video Library Draft Resolution Download and Share this 1 minute video about - [Educators Climate Action Network](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ecan/): Pledge to Act for Earth Day | Pass the Resolution | Ideas for Action | Resources for Action | Just the Facts | Wear Free Stickers | Print Signs & Post Pictures | Amplify Online Together Educators Acting on Earth Day Join ECAN Plug into Action During Earth Day to May Day Read the - [Just Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/just-transition/): Fire Drill Friday + More Resources We need to make sure that all the jobs created by climate protection are good jobs that support our families and strengthen our unions.Clint Sobratti, a bus driver in Montgomery County, Maryland and member of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1994, enthralled attendees at the December 13, Fire - [LNS Solutions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/lns-solutions/): Blue Prints for Supporting the Labor-Climate Movement Our reports provide in-depth analysis, strategic insights, and case studies to support worker-led climate action and just transitions. They cover critical issues such as transportation equity, labor and climate policy, renewable energy strategies, and frontline community initiatives. These resources equip activists, union members, and policymakers with essential knowledge - [The Climate Insurgency Trilogy](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/the-climate-insurgency-trilogy/): By Jeremy Brecher The response to climate change often runs the gamut from denial to despair. But for those who want to take action, LNS recommends Jeremy Brecher’s Climate Insurgency Trilogy. These three books provide a climate action strategy based on creating a global nonviolent constitutional insurgency. Read ’em and act! Climate Insurgency: A Strategy - [YWLP in Depth](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-in-depth/): Our Young Worker Project builds the next generation of labor-climate organizers through targeted education, skill-building workshops, and strategic campaign support. Key Programs: “Earth is a Hot Shop” Listening Project Report: Amplifying young workers’ experiences and insights on climate-labor intersections. Political Education Curriculum: Structured training in union organizing, climate justice, and campaign strategy. Organizing Incubator: Providing - [Climate strike unionism](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/climate-strike-unionism/): Climate-strike unionism is a strategy and vision for building worker-led power that is deeply integrated with the fight against climate change. It’s about unions and workers organizing not only around wages and working conditions, but also around the need to stop climate destruction—and using collective action, including strikes, as a tool to do it. 💥 - [Donate by Check](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/donate-by-check/): Support Us You don’t have to be in the labor-climate movement to help drive transformative change. By becoming a regular supporter of LNS, your contribution helps build a powerful, worker-led movement fighting for climate action, economic justice, and worker rights. Your donation directly supports grassroots organizing, strategic campaigns, and critical educational resources. Become a monthly - [History of LNS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/history-of-lns/): Founded by leaders in labor, climate justice, and environmental movements, LNS has consistently championed a just, worker-centered transition to a sustainable economy. Since our inception, we have bridged the gap between labor and environmental justice communities, driving policy victories, mobilizing worker-led climate action, and building lasting cross-movement alliances. Our history reflects an unwavering commitment to - [Who We Are](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/who-we-are/): History of LNS Founded by leaders in labor, climate justice, and environmental movements, LNS has consistently championed a just, worker-centered transition to a sustainable economy. Since our inception, we have bridged the gap between labor and environmental justice communities, driving policy victories, mobilizing worker-led climate action, and building lasting cross-movement alliances. Our history reflects an - [Climate-Labor Solidarity Campaigns](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/climate-labor-solidarity-campaigns/): At the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), we work to build collective power by strategically aligning labor, climate, and environmental justice movements. We organize across sectors and generations, mobilizing workers and communities to advocate for just transitions, worker rights, and environmental sustainability. Our theory of change emphasizes grassroots organizing, strategic alliances, and worker leadership to - [Tools for Union Members](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/tools-for-union-members/): LNS offers practical tools, educational materials, and organizing resources designed specifically for union members. Our resources include guides on collective bargaining for climate action, power mapping, campaign development tools, and strategies for effective labor-climate organizing. These tools empower union members to integrate climate justice into their workplace organizing and advocacy efforts. If you are looking - [A Green New Deal—From Below](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/a-green-new-deal-from-below/): Green New Deal from Below LNS’s Green New Deal from Below (GNDB) initiative amplifies worker- and community-led climate solutions, ensuring the clean energy transition prioritizes frontline and marginalized communities rather than corporate interests. Key Activities: Local Climate Initiatives: Supporting grassroots projects for clean energy, public infrastructure, and community resilience. National GNDB Database: Tracking successful models - [Public Sector Organizing](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/public-sector-organizing/): At the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), we work to build collective power by strategically aligning labor, climate, and environmental justice movements. We organize across sectors and generations, mobilizing workers and communities to advocate for just transitions, worker rights, and environmental sustainability. Our theory of change emphasizes grassroots organizing, strategic alliances, and worker leadership to - [LNS Board](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/lns-board/): BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph B. Uehlein, President Takoma Park, MD Joe is the founding president of LNS and a longtime labor and climate leader. He previously served as Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Union Department and Director of Strategic Campaigns. A musician and union member for over 50 years, Joe has been a key architect - [About LNS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/who-we-are/about-lns/): Mission, Vision, & Theory of Change The Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS) is dedicated to driving urgent, science-based climate action by building a powerful labor-climate movement. Our mission is to secure an ecologically sustainable and economically just future by uniting labor and climate forces in a shared struggle for systemic change. Our Vision We envision - [Why the Climate Movement Must Support Worker Power on May Day—and Beyond](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/why-the-climate-movement-must-support-worker-power-on-may-day-and-beyond/): We don’t win climate justice unless workers strike to stop the machine. The climate crisis is driven by capital. The only force that can halt capital in its tracks is strategic, mass withdrawal of labor and sustained economic disruption. Many in the climate movement—especially frontline activists—have courageously endured severe repression, including incarceration, violence, and significant - [Young Worker Training Program](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-in-depth/young-worker-training-program/): APPLY NOW! The Young Worker Training Program is a free, six-week course designed to help young workers in union, non-union, and climate activist spaces develop a clear political framework to understand the convergence of the labor climate movement and develop an organizing campaign to help advance worker-led climate justice initiatives. The first half of the - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): SEE THE INTERACTIVE TIMELINE Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: Join us in supporting the efforts of many people who are already working to support public transit in their communities. We would love to highlight your - [Transit Equity 2025](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/): Events | Register Your Action | Sponsors & Sponsorship | Organizing Toolkit | Rosa’s Pancake Recipe | Education and Youth Organizing Tools | Livestream Access the Transit Equity Day 2025 Social Media Toolkit TUNE IN BELOW TUESDAY, FEB. 4 @ NOON ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY LIVESTREAM Transit is in crisis in this country. The pandemic accelerated this transit - [Jordan Kelly - MI - AFT MI 6739](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/jordan-kelly-mi-aft-mi-6739/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Jordan Kelly – MI – AFT MI 6739 I’ve lived in Ann Arbor for years, and public transit has been essential to my daily life. I work as a laboratory technician at the University of Michigan and I rely on the bus to get to work. Owning a car - [Will Hazen - IN - ATU Local 1070](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/will-hazen-in-atu-local-1070/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Will Hazen – IN – ATU Local 1070 As both a transit rider and a bus operator here in Indianapolis, I get to experience our transit system from a range of perspectives. While my boyfriend and I own a car, I take the bus to work every day because - [Lisa Miller - MO - Missouri Workers Center](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/lisa-miller-mo-missouri-workers-center/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Lisa Miller – Stand Up KC and Missouri Workers Center member in Kansas City, Missouri I started working when I was 14. For decades, $9.66 was the most I had ever made in my life. I’m far from the only Kansas City resident whose low wages required me to - [Grace Chung - HI](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/grace-chung-hi/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs] Grace Chung – HI I grew up in Seattle and Korea and then went to college in Chicago where I studied technology and fine arts. For a while, I worked in fashion doing graphic design but the work was very taxing. So, last August, I moved to Honolulu - [Sarah Mullen - AK](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/sarah-mullen-ak/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Sarah Mullen – AK As an educator of preschoolers through graduate students for 34 years in three different states, I have witnessed the challenges families face in providing transportation for their children to area public schools. In 1992, in St. Louis, Missouri, many African American students were bussed from - [Teba Gonzalez - USSW](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/teba-gonzalez-ussw/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Teba Gonzalez – USSW My name is Teba Gonzalez, and I am a former Dunkin’ Donuts worker, but recently now working as a cashier at the State Farm Arena, in Atlanta, Georgia. I am also a member of the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW). I need reliable and - [Eshawney Gaston - USSW](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/eshawney-gaston-ussw/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Eshawney Gaston – USSW My name is Eshawney Gaston and I am a food service worker in Durham, North Carolina. In the past I’ve been a cook, but I’ve also worked the register and have done warehouse work as well. I’m also a proud member of my union, United - [Vanessa Alvarez - FL](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/vanessa-alvarez-fl/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Vanessa Alvarez – FL I moved to Kissimmee, FL about 15 years ago and have been active in the community with Vamos Puerto Rico and helping our community recover from the destruction of Hurricane Maria. My husband is a Kissimmee Commissioner and is serving as Mayor Pro Tem but - [Ian Buck - MFT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/ian-buck-mft/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Ian Buck – MFT My name is Ian Buck, and I teach computer science, cybersecurity, and media production, for 10th – 12th graders in Career and Technical Education programs. I teach district-wide across Minneapolis Public Schools and have students at all of the district high schools, which requires me - [Katrina Owings - ID](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/katrina-owings-id/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Katrina Owings – ID My name is Katrina, and I live in Boise, Idaho, where I work at a daycare. Until recently, I relied on the bus to get to work and run errands. It was really helpful for me, especially since I don’t drive. Public transit gave me - [Sandra Ellington - OH - SEIU Local 1](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/sandra-ellington-oh-seiu-local-1/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Sandra Ellington – OH – SEIU Local 1 My name is Sandra Ellington. As a member of SEIU Local 1 in Cleveland, I clean large public facilities. You may have seen me at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where I worked for 17 years. Now I am working at the - [William Sheets - Amazon Teamsters](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/william-sheets-amazon-teamsters/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]William Sheets – Amazon Teamsters My name is William Sheets. I am an Amazon delivery driver and I bring packages to Chicago’s doorsteps. I’m a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Transit has been essential for me since coming to Chicago. I ended up losing my car in - [Brinda Gurumoorthy – TX – Dallas AFT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/brinda-gurumoorthy-tx-dallas-aft/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Brinda Gurumoorthy – TX – Dallas AFT My name is Brinda Gurumoorthy. I am a high school math teacher in Dallas, TX public schools. I teach high school AP precalculus and calculus, helping younger generations learn fundamental skills that will help shape the future. I am also a proud - [Marty Harrison - PA - PASNAP](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/marty-harrison-pa-pasnap/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs] Marty Harrison – PA – PASNAP I’m Marty, a nurse at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Public transit has been a key part of life for my family and me for years. My husband and I are both essential workers—he spent over three decades at Verizon, and I’ve - [Gio Roman Torres - TN - GEO](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/gio-roman-torres-tn-geo/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Gio Roman Torres – TN – GEO Growing up in Los Angeles, my single mom didn’t drive, so we took buses to get around. From school drop-offs to trips to work, the DASH and Metro systems were lifelines for us. Even now, living in Chattanooga, I continue to use - [Connor Chapman - PA - United Steelworkers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/connor-chapman/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Connor Chapman – PA – United Steelworkers My name is Connor Chapman, and I am a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, working on my doctorate in Sociology. Graduate students do essential work for the university: we are the nearly 2,100 teaching and research assistants that make the - [Francisco Silva - OR - PCUN](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/francisco-silva-or-pcun/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Francisco Silva – OR – PCUN I’ve used public transit in many places—Salem, Woodburn, and Portland, Oregon and even Vancouver, Washington. It’s something I really enjoy because it lets me meet new people, see new places, and connect with my community. Public transit is clean, affordable, and a lifeline - [Christopher Fogel - WA - SEIU 6](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/christopher-fogel-wa-seiu-6/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Christopher Fogel – Seattle, WA, Security / SEIU Local 6 I’ve lived in Seattle for over 30 years, and I can honestly say that public transit has been a lifeline for me. I came here while in the Navy, stayed because of family, and now I work security at - [Eddie Alverez - CA - LA-OC Building Trades](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/eddie-alverez-ca-la-oc-building-trades/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs] Eddie Alverez – CA – LA-OC Building Trades I’m Eddie Alvarez, a union representative for the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. I grew up in the Trades. My father is an Elevator Constructor and I started as a Laborer. Now, I work for a council - [Celeste Thompson - MT - op-ed](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/celeste-thompson-mt-op-ed/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Public transit moves working families. And we need leaders to support it. Celeste Thompson – MT – op-ed Everyone deserves access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation—especially working families who need to make the most of their earnings. Working families rely on public transit, whether they live and work - [Keith Williams - op-ed](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/keith-williams-op-ed/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” module_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs]Public transit moves working families. And we need to support it. Keith Williams – op-ed Everyone deserves access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation—especially working families who need to make the most of their earnings. Working families rely on public transit, whether they live and work in big cities, - [Worker Transit Stories](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/worker-transit-stories/): [lwp_divi_breadcrumbs _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” module_text_align=”center” sticky_enabled=”0″][/lwp_divi_breadcrumbs] Celeste Thompson – MT – op-ed Keith Williams – op-ed Eddie Alverez – CA – LA-OC Building Trades Christopher Fogel – WA – SEIU 6 Francisco Silva – OR – PCUN Connor Chapman – PA – United Steelworkers Gio Roman Torres – TN – GEO Marty Harrison - [Press Room](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/press-room/): LNS Press Room If you request for a media interview, please complete this form. Other Resources: Media Inquiries Recent News Releases Request a Logo or Staff Images LNS in the News YouTube Facebook Videos Twitter Instagram - [Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-day/): Get on Board! Check out the Transit Equity Day events in your area: Events in Your Area [elfsight_twitter_feed id=”2″] Transit Equity Day, Tuesday, February 4, 2020, is a collaborative effort of several organizations and unions to promote public transit as a civil right and a strategy to combat climate change. Why February 4? We are - [Video Library](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/organizing-toolkit/video-library/): Organizing Videos: Watch the videos below for tips on making your Transit Equity Day a success! TWEET IT Transit Equity Network Presents: Predatory MicrotransitFeaturing Joshua Hatton and Kristine Bray, members of No Bus Cuts Denton WATCH FULL VIDEO >> https://youtu.be/hvtKbxGep3wWATCH TEASER >> https://youtu.be/KZzdpCA72xo TWEET IT Transit Equity Network Presents: Transit on the BallotFeaturing Congressman Hank - [Plan Your Actions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/organizing-toolkit/plan-your-actions/): COVID-19 Protocols Thank you for your interest and excitement in coordinating an action in honor of 2025 Transit Equity Day. As COVID-19 is still a relevant and urgent concern, especially among our essential transit workers, our safety is of our utmost concern. Please continue to consider protocols by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - [Transit Equity: A Historical Timeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/transit-equity-a-historical-timeline/): TRANSIT EQUITY: A HISTORICAL TIMELINE By Eboni Preston, Georgia NAACP, and Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability [timeline-express] - [GNDB](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/gndb/): Jeremy Brecher and Labor Network for Sustainability Announce New Book Hundreds of programs that embody the principles of the Green New Deal – providing climate protection, addressing racial and economic inequities, while also providing a just transition for workers and communities – are gaining traction in local communities, cities, states, and tribal lands across the - [Livestream](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/livestream/): TUNE IN BELOW TUESDAY, FEB. 4 @ NOON ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY Stay tuned and bookmark this page. We will broadcast live from the Labor Network for Sustainability YouTube Channel. Already active on YouTube? Subscribe to our channel here and be sure to hit the bell for updates » - [Draft Resolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/organizing-toolkit/draft-resolution/): TRANSIT EQUITY DAY WHEREAS Rosa Parks was an iconic figure in the movements for social justice and racial equality, and played a major role in the inception of the Civil Rights movement that ended legal segregation in the United States; and WHEREAS the immediate focus of Rosa Parks’ historic protest was the unequal access of - [Rosa’s Pancake Recipe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2025/rosas-pancake-recipe/): Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite Pancake” recipe was written on the back of an envelope. After she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955, she and her husband lost their jobs and eventually moved to Detroit. They struggled financially and had to be frugal, which is why she reused papers, like - [Pension Power](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/): What Are Pensions? And Why Are They Powerful? Defined Benefit Pensions are a promise from your job that you’ll have money upon which to retire. Unlike a 401k that is dependent upon market returns, your monthly pension payments are set by a formula. This amount is usually based on how long you worked and your - [Save Philadelphia's Chinatown](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/save-philadelphias-chinatown/): Save Philly’s Chinatown Public transportation is often the catalyst for a neighborhood, but what happens when a central neighborhood’s transit access is used as a pawn to destroy a neighborhood? Come hear Vivian Chang, Executive Director of Asian Americans United tell about the young organizer-led fight to save one of America’s oldest Chinatown neighborhoods. Friday, - [Minnesota State Rail Plan Passenger Rail Priorities Survey Recommendations](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/minnesota-state-rail-plan-passenger-rail-priorities-survey-recommendations/): Survey Explainer and Top-Line Recommendations To inform an update of Minnesota’s state rail plan, MnDOT released a Minnesota State Rail Plan Passenger Rail Priorities Survey earlier this year, which you can find the questions for here. We encourage you to fill out the survey in its entirety, reflecting your current experiences with passenger rail service - [TED 2021 Livestream](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/ted-2021-livestream/): Community Hearing on Transit Equity A National Conversation Scroll Down for Recordings Moderators, Panelists and Facilitators | The Testifiers | AFT President Randi Weingarten ________________________________ Music of Transit Equity Days 2021 Official Musician: Jazz Artist Lowden Harrell Day 1 Feature: The U-Liners: “Age of Trains”Credits: Full Circle: “Pirates” “Transit Equity Fun List” on Spotify ________________________________ - [Social Media Toolkit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/amplify/): Transit Equity Day 2024 Social Media Toolkit | Media Advisory Template | Press Release Template SHARE THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS AND GRAPHICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Download and Share this 45 second video about Transit Equity Day Access Social Media Graphics Embed or Share this 3-Minute Video Download and post the 45-second video here. Feel free to - [Recent News Releases](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/news-releases/) - [WY](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/wy/): State: Wyoming Pension System(s):Wyoming Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [WI](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/wi/): State: Wisconsin Pension System(s):Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust FundsTrusteesAnnual Report - [WV](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/wv/): State: West Virginia Pension System(s):WV Investment Management BoardTrusteesAnnual Report - [WA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/wa/): State: Washington Pension System(s):Washington State Investment Board Trustees Annual Report - [VA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/va/): State: Virginia Pension System(s):Virginia Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [VT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/vt/): State: Vermont Pension System(s):Vermont State Employees Retirement System (VSERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Vermont State Teachers Retirement System (VSTRS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Vermont Municipal Employees Retirement System (VMERS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [UT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ut/): State: Utah Pension System(s):Utah Retirement SystemsMembership CouncilAnnual Report - [TX](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/tx/): State: Texas Pension System(s):Teacher Retirement System of TexasTrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Employees Retirement System of TexasTrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Texas County and District Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Texas Municipal Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [TN](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/tn/): State: Tennessee Pension System(s):Tennessee Consolidated Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [SD](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/sd/): State: South Dakota Pension System(s):South Dakota Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [SC](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/sc/): State: South Carolina Pension System(s):South Carolina Public Employee Benefit AuthorityBoard of DirectorsAnnual Report - 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[NH](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/nh/): State: New Hampshire Pension System(s):New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [NV](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/nv/): State: Nevada Pension System(s):Nevada Public Employees Retirement System (NVPERS)Retirement BoardAnnual Report - [NE](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ne/): State: Nebraska Pension System(s):Nebraska Public Employee Retirement Systems (NPERS)Retirement BoardAnnual Report - [MT](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/mt/): State: Montana Pension System(s):Montana Public Employees Retirement Administration (MPERA)BoardAnnual Report Pension System(s):Montana Teachers Retirement SystemBoardAnnual Report - [MO](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/mo/): State: Missouri Pension System(s):Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems (PSRS/PEERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Local Government Employees Retirement System (LAGERS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [MS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ms/): State: Mississippi Pension System(s):Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)Board of TrusteesAnnual Report - [MN](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/mn/): State: Minnesota Pension System(s):Minnesota State Retirement SystemBoard of DirectorsAnnual Report Pension System(s):Teacher Retirement Association (TRA)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Public Employees Retirement Association (MNPERA)TrusteesAnnual Report - [MI](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/mi/): State: Michigan Pension System(s):Michigan Office of Retirement ServicesBoard MembersAnnual Report Pension System(s):Municipal Employees Retirement System (MERS)BoardAnnual Report - [MA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ma/): State: Massachusetts Pension System(s):Massachusetts State Retirement Board (MSRB)Board MembersAnnual Report Pension System(s):Massachusetts Teacher Retirement System (MTRS)TrusteesAnnual Report - 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[IN](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/in/): State: Indiana Pension System(s):Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [IL](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/il/): State: Illinois Pension System(s):State Employees Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Teachers Retirement System of the State of Illinois TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Illinois Municipal Retirement FundTrusteesAnnual Report - [ID](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/id/): State: Idaho Pension System(s):Public Employee Retirement SystemRetirement BoardAnnual Report - [HI](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/hi/): State: Hawaii Pension System(s):Hawaii Employees Retirement System (ERS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [GA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ga/): State: Georgia Pension System(s):Employees Retirement System of Georgia (ERSGA)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Teacher Retirement System of Georgia (TRSGA)TrusteesAnnual Report - [FL](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/fl/): State: Florida Pension System(s):Florida Retirement System (FRS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [DE](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/de/): State: Delaware Pension System(s):Delaware Public Employee Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [CO](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/co/): State: Colorado Pension System(s):Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA)TrusteesAnnual Report - [CA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ca/): State: California Pension System(s):California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):University of California Retirement SystemAdvisory BoardAnnual Report - [AL](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/al/): State: Alabama Pension System(s): Teachers Retirement System (TRS)Board of ControlAnnual Report Pension System(s): Employees Retirement System (ERS)Board of ControlAnnual Report - [AR](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ar/): State: Arkansas Pension System(s):Arkansas Public Employment Retirement Systesm (APERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Arkansas Teachers Retirement System (ARTRS)TrusteesAnnual Report - [AK](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/ak/): State: Alaska Pension System(s):Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)TrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Teachers Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [AZ](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/pension-power/az/): State: Arizona Pension System(s):Arizona State Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report Pension System(s):Public Safety Personnel Retirement SystemTrusteesAnnual Report - [Johnson Bill Materials](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/johnson-bill-materials/): This year for Transit Equity Day, we wish to uplift a massive opportunity to ensure that your transit systems have dedicated operations funding. Thanks to Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act will be reintroduced to Congress, but we need YOUR help to promote it! This page contains many sign-on letters, - [Livestream](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/livestream/): TUNE IN BELOW MONDAY, FEB. 5 @ NOON – 2 PM ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY Stay tuned and bookmark this page. We will broadcast live from the Labor Network for Sustainability YouTube Channel. Already active on YouTube? Subscribe to our channel here and be sure to hit the bell for updates » Missed last year’s livestream? Watch - [Plan Your Actions](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/plan-your-actions/): Ideas for Actions If commuting, thank your transit workers! Honor Rosa Parks on her birthday. Place a Rosa Parks photo and rose on the bus you’re riding. Typically done on February 5, Rosa’s birthday. The two biggest transit unions are active organizers in this action and chances are your bus operator will know all about - [Sponsor Transit Equity Day](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/sponsor-transit-equity-day/): In addition to hosting an action, you can support Transit Equity Day 2024 in a variety of ways. Learn more below: Transit Equity Network This is the larger body for organizing Transit Equity Day and other transit equity activities. Meets bi-weekly every other Friday at noon ET. Not a formal membership body, attendance is - [Organizing Videos](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/organizing-videos/): Watch the videos below for tips on making your Transit Equity Day a success! TWEET IT The bus is the first introduction to many a transit system. Watch as the @MARTAarmy describes how their #TransitEquityDay rally yielded a crowdsourced inventory of bus stop needs. WATCH VIDEO >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fysK-QMWunc&t=13s TWEET IT Transit isn’t just an - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): SEE THE INTERACTIVE TIMELINE Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: EDUCATE • AGITATE • ORGANIZE! Educating our communities and local and federal officials about transit equity is vital to the work we do. Inequality resulting from - [Timeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/timeline/): TRANSIT EQUITY: A HISTORICAL TIMELINE By Eboni Preston, Georgia NAACP, and Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability [timeline-express] - [Rosa's Pancake Recipe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/rosas-pancake-recipe/): Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite Pancake” recipe was written on the back of an envelope. After she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955, she and her husband lost their jobs and eventually moved to Detroit. They struggled financially and had to be frugal, which is why she reused papers, like - [Sponsors & Sponsorship](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/sponsors/): Become a Sponsor Find Out More Take Action Now! Our Sponsors[dica_divi_carousel show_items_desktop=”5″ show_items_mobile=”3″ centermode=”on” loop=”on” autoplay=”on” hoverpause=”on” scroller_effect=”on” equal_height=”on” advanced_effect=”1″ image_sizing=”200px” _builder_version=”4.16″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”350″ button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Blackfacts” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”DreamCorps Green for All” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Greenpeace” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”LNS” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”NAACP” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ - [Op Ed Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/op-ed-tools/): SPREADING THE WORD THROUGH LOCAL OP-EDS An op-ed is an effective way to promote an issue that you care about. Please watch our discussion with Peter Certo from IPS as he explains how to effectively write an op-ed. Then read the resources below with some tips. Watch! Op-ed Tools by Peter Certo, Institute for Policy - [Draft Resolution](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2024/organizing-toolkit/draft-resolution/): TRANSIT EQUITY DAY WHEREAS Rosa Parks was an iconic figure in the movements for social justice and racial equality, and played a major role in the inception of the Civil Rights movement that ended legal segregation in the United States; and WHEREAS the immediate focus of Rosa Parks’ historic protest was the unequal access of - [Sponsors & Sponsorship](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/sponsors/): Become a Sponsor Find Out More Take Action Now! Our Sponsors[dica_divi_carousel show_items_desktop=”5″ show_items_mobile=”3″ centermode=”on” loop=”on” autoplay=”on” hoverpause=”on” scroller_effect=”on” equal_height=”on” advanced_effect=”1″ image_sizing=”200px” _builder_version=”4.16″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”350″ button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Blackfacts” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”DreamCorps Green for All” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Greenpeace” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”LNS” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”NAACP” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ - [Comments by Jeff Johnson, LNS Board Member and former president of the Washington State AFL-CIO](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/comments-by-jeff-johnson-lns-board-member-and-former-president-of-the-washington-state-afl-cio/): SEPTEMBER 17, 2023 – CLIMATE RALLY SEATTLE Thank you Renaissance, sisters, brothers, siblings, friends – thank you for being here today. Your being here and millions like you around the world over the past couple of days gives me hope. I was beginning to feel too many folks had skipped over the WTF moment, going - [Message from Joe Uehlein, LNS Founder and Board President](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/message-from-joe-uehlein-lns-founder-and-board-president/): OCTOBER 4th, 2023 - Americans for Democratic Action 2023 Awards Gala Greetings friends, Brothers, Sisters, siblings, comrades all! Winn Newman was a friend and mentor. When I was just starting out he accepted me as a Brother and a colleague. He taught me a lot, especially about fighting for what you believe in. I am - [UAW Solidarity Letter](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/uaw-solidarity-letter/): An Open Letter to Big 3 Auto CEOs:The Climate Movement Stands with UAW! Organizations: Sign the Letter Join the UAW Solidarity Call on 8/17 Organizations: Sign the Letter To The CEOs of General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis: (Mary Barra, Jim Farley, and Carlos Tavares) We, the undersigned climate, environmental, racial, and social justice - [2019 Annual Report](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/2019-annual-report/): Letter from Joseph B. Uehlein Founding President of the Labor Network for Sustainability In 2005, after 35 years in the labor movement I left my position as Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Division. I grew up in the labor movement and served in various positions from rank and file union member to shop steward to - [9/17 March](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/9-17-march/): JOIN THE LABOR HUB OF THE 9/17 MARCH TO END FOSSIL FUELS IN NEW YORK CITY What is the March to End Fossil Fuels? United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres has announced a climate summit this September in New York City where entry will be offered only to country leaders who have committed to a - [Careers](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/careers/): Career Executive Director, Labor Network for Sustainability View Job Description in PDF Career There are no positions available at this time. Thank you for your inquiry about employment opportunities at LNS. in order to meet your technological criteria could be the traits involving rolex swiss https://www.vapes-pens.com. we offer the really qualitative and durable https://www.gradewatches.to. rolex - [slidertest](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/slidertest/): [carousel_slide id=’4477′] vapesstores.fr have been a landmark of the industry since its founding. glass and case back cover can withstand huge hydraulic pressure on the watch with who makes the best tagheuerwatches.to. discover our swiss luxury replique montre collection on the official website. cottoncandyvape usa quest for pattern stack from the contemporary design. best 30%off - [TED 2023](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/): TED 2023 Events | Register Your Action | Sponsors & Sponsorship | Tips: Organizing Videos | Draft Resolution | Organizing Toolkit | Amplify | Rosa’s Pancake Recipe | Education and Youth Organizing Tools | Livestream Join us on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, Rosa Parks’ birthday, as we EDUCATE. AGITATE. ORGANIZE! and recognize transit equity as - [Transit Equity](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-congress/): TRANSIT EQUITY LETTER TO CONGRESS Letter to Congress Press Release About This Campaign The Labor Network for Sustainability and Institute for Policy Studies have organized more than 70 unions, civil rights groups, transit organizations, and coalitions in the labor and environmental justice movements to urge Congress to provide more funding for transit agencies. Join the - [Archived Campaigns](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/archived-campaigns/): Climate Strikes 2019 Fire Drill Friday 2016 Labor Convergence on Climate Earth Day to May Day 2020 Earth Day to May Day 2021 Archived Documents About the Making a Living on a Living Planet Project Labor-Environmental Leaders and Activists Move Beyond Differences to a Common Vision about a New Economy One Month Since HEROES Act - [PAST ACTIONS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/past-actions/): PAST ACTIONS Highlights from 2022 There were about 50 events this year! Here are some news highlights: Santa Cruz County’s First National Transit Equity Day Feb 4, 2022, chosen in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday, was a Success! Metrolink to provide free rides on Feb. 4 for Transit Equity Day. Spectrum News 1, Los Angeles - [How to Survey the Members on Climate Change](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/how-to-survey-the-members-on-climate-change/): If your Union is seeking to gain a deeper understanding of its members' opinions and concerns on climate change, use our Union Climate Change Survey! Here are some basic suggestions about using this survey: Start with a committee – this needs to be a group activity. Getting the surveys out, making sure members respond, and - [Livestream](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/livestream/): TUNE IN BELOW SATURDAY, FEB. 4 @ NOON – 2 PM ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY Stay tuned and bookmark this page. We will broadcast live from the Labor Network for Sustainability YouTube Channel. Already active on YouTube? Subscribe to our channel here and be sure to hit the bell for updates » Missed last year’s livestream? Watch - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): SEE THE INTERACTIVE TIMELINE Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: EDUCATE • AGITATE • ORGANIZE! Educating our communities and local and federal officials about transit equity is vital to the work we do. Inequality resulting from - [Timeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/timeline/): TRANSIT EQUITY: A HISTORICAL TIMELINE By Eboni Preston, Georgia NAACP, and Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability [timeline-express] - [TED 2023 Events](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/ted-2023-events/): off TRANSIT EQUITY DAY 2023 EVENT 2023 events will be posted here once they become available. Stay tuned. CALIFORNIA Bay Area, Virtual Genesis: Gamaliel Affiliate of the Bay Area Action: Transit Equity Day Online Rally Site: Via Zoom, Register here » Date: Friday, Feb. 4, 2022 Time: Noon – 1:15 p.m. PT From - [Rosa’s Pancake Recipe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2023/rosas-pancake-recipe/): Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite Pancake” recipe was written on the back of an envelope. After she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955, she and her husband lost their jobs and eventually moved to Detroit. They struggled financially and had to be frugal, which is why she reused papers, like - [Thank you!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/climateinsurgencydownload/): Thank you for requesting your FREE e-book. CLICK HERE to access your e-book: "Climate Insurgency: A Strategy for Survival." We hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being part of this movement! - [Thank you!](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ebookdownload/): Thank you for requesting your FREE e-book. CLICK HERE to access your e-book: "Climate Solidarity: Workers vs Warming." We hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being part of this movement! - [Young Worker Convergence](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-in-depth/young-worker-convergence/): For LNS’s inaugural Young Worker Convergence, we brought together nearly 100 young workers from 23 states (as well as DC and Canada) and more than 50 different worker and environmental organizations to participate in workshops, to hear from our union comrades who have successfully built labor power in service of climate justice, to share strategies across states - [Media Inquiry](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/media-inquiry/): Please contact our team by completing the form below: - [Transit Equity Day 2022 Events](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/ted-2022-events/): California | Colorado | Connecticut | District of Columbia | Georgia | Illinois | Indiana | Massachusetts | Michigan | New York | New Mexico | North Carolina | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Texas | Tennessee | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin CALIFORNIA Bay Area, Virtual Genesis: Gamaliel Affiliate of the Bay Area - [Join Our Network](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/join/): Stay up to date on LNS news and events. Newsletters Archive Individual Prefix Select one:Ald.Asm.Assembly MemberAssemblymanAssemblywomanBishopBorough PresidentBrBrotherCapt.CoachCommissionerComptrollerCongressmanCongresswomanCouncil MemberCouncilmanCouncilwomanDeaconDeanDet.Dr.FatherFr.Gov.GovernorHon.ImamLt. GovernorMayorMinisterMonsignorMr.Mrs.Ms.Msgr.PastorPresidentProf.ProfessorRabbiRep.RepresentativeRev.Rev. CanonRev. DeaconRev. Dr.ReverendSen.SenatorSgtSisterSr.Sra.The HonorableThe Venerable First Name * Last Name * Last Name*–> Email * Email * –> Phone Number Phone Number–> Street Address Address–> City City–> State * data-select-prompt=”- select -” data-name=”state_province-6″ name=”state_province-6″ id=”state_province-6″ requiredSelect - [Women in the Transit Equity Movement: Past, Present, and Future](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/women-in-the-transit-equity-movement-past-present-and-future/): On Monday, Feb. 28, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Eastern, please join the NAACP Massachusetts State Conference, NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice team, the Labor Network for Sustainability, Sierra Club, Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), and Boston T-Riders Union for: Women in the Transit Equity Movement: Past, Present, and Future Monday, Feb. 28 from 6 - [Livestream](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/livestream/): TUNE IN BELOW FRIDAY, FEB. 4 @ NOON – 2 PM ET #TRANSITEQUITYDAY Stay tuned and bookmark this page. We will broadcast live from the Labor Network for Sustainability YouTube Channel. Already active on YouTube? Subscribe to our channel here and be sure to hit the bell for updates » Show Schedule (In Order of - [Sponsors](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/sponsors/): Become a Sponsor Find Out More Take Action Now! Our Sponsors[dica_divi_carousel show_items_desktop=”5″ show_items_mobile=”3″ centermode=”on” loop=”on” autoplay=”on” hoverpause=”on” scroller_effect=”on” equal_height=”on” advanced_effect=”1″ image_sizing=”200px” _builder_version=”4.14.4″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”350″ button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Blackfacts” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”DreamCorps Green for All” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”Greenpeace” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/dica_divi_carouselitem][dica_divi_carouselitem admin_label=”LNS” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ - [Transit Equity 2022](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/): Join us on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022,Rosa Parks’ birthday, as we EDUCATE. AGITATE. ORGANIZE! and recognize transit equity as a civil right. LIVESTREAM Ready to hop on board? Join us for Transit Equity Day 2022! CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE AND GET STARTED: HISTORY OFTRANSIT EQUITY DAY TED 2022EVENTS REGISTERYOUR ACTION ORGANIZING TOOLKIT SPONSOR TRANSITEQUITY - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): Education and Youth Organizing Tools SEE THE INTERACTIVE TIMELINE Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: EDUCATE • AGITATE • ORGANIZE! Educating our communities and local and federal officials about transit equity is vital to the work - [Timeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/timeline/): TRANSIT EQUITY: A HISTORICAL TIMELINE By Eboni Preston, Georgia NAACP, and Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability [timeline-express] - [Timeline](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/timeline/): TRANSIT EQUITY: A HISTORICAL TIMELINE By Eboni Preston, Georgia NAACP, and Judy Asman, Labor Network for Sustainability [timeline-express] - [Rosa's Pancake Recipe](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/rosas-pancake-recipe/): Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite Pancake” recipe was written on the back of an envelope. After she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955, she and her husband lost their jobs and eventually moved to Detroit. They struggled financially and had to be frugal, which is why she reused papers, like - [Education and Youth Organizing Tools](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/education-and-youth-organizing-tools/): Education and Youth Organizing Tools SEE THE INTERACTIVE TIMELINE Since the first Transit Equity Day in 2018, allies of the Transit Equity Network have encouraged action in three keys ways. These have been to: EDUCATE • AGITATE • ORGANIZE! Educating our communities and local and federal officials about transit equity is vital to the work - [Media Digital Toolkit](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/media-digital-toolkit/): MEDIA/DIGITAL TOOLKIT TED 2021IN THE MEDIA DIGITAL TOOLKIT - [YWLP Survey](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-survey/): 5 minutes Can Mean a Pivotal Difference in Your future, Your Workforce and Your planet! Start Survey Young workers are uniquely affected by climate change. Yet, our voices are rarely heard in discussions about climate. We live on the frontlines of both the climate crisis and an economic recession. However, we have had no choice - [2020 Annual Report](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/2020-annual-report/): Confidential Draft: Not for Distribution A message from our Executive Director and President What a year it was. One would run out of adjectives to describe the impact of 2020 on our individual lives, our communities and our planet. Only in sci-fi movies do such scenarios play out the way the Coronavirus pandemic has. It - [YWLP Survey form spanish](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-survey/ywlp-in-depth-spanish/ywlp-survey-form/): YWLP Survey Spanish Para las siguientes afirmaciones, ¿estás muy de acuerdo, de acuerdo, en desacuerdo o muy en desacuerdo? Yo, mi familia o mis amigos hemos sufrido la contaminación del aire o el agua sucia. * Completamente de acuerdo De acuerdo Neutral En desacuerdo Completamente en desacuerdo Yo, mi familia o mis amigos nos hemos - [YWLP Spanish -- Take the survey](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-survey/ywlp-in-depth-spanish/ywlp-start-survey/): Proyecto de escucha de las y los jóvenes trabajadores Trabajadores jóvenes son afectados de una manera única por el cambio climático, pero nuestras voces rara vez se escuchan en los debates sobre el clima. Vivimos en las primeras líneas tanto de la crisis climática como de la recesión económica. Como jóvenes trabajadores, no hemos - [YWLP in depth Spanish](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-survey/ywlp-in-depth-spanish/): Gracias por tomarte el tiempo de realizar esta encuesta. Entendemos que el cambio no se produce a menos que tengamos un poder colectivo. Nos complace seguir trabajando con ustedes en un proceso de conversaciones individuales y debates en pequeños grupos. Esperamos construir un análisis colectivo de las necesidades de los jóvenes trabajadores y de las - [Young Workers: Earth Day to May Day 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp/): YOUNG WORKERS The Labor Network for Sustainability is excited to announce the launch of the Young Worker Listening Project (YWLP). Join us Thursday, April 29, 2021 as we kick off with a survey to help us further understand the needs of young workers and to help build power. Taking lessons from the LNS Just Transition - [Earth Day to May Day 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/earth-day-to-may-day-2021/): Bridging the labor and climate movements is a year-round focus for the Labor Network for Sustainability–hence why we hold in such high regard the 10-day period from April 22 (Earth Day) through May 1 (May Day, International Workers’ Day). Heading into the 51st Earth Day this year, we reflect on how the occasion originated. Right - [Community Hearing on Transit Equity 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/community-hearing-on-transit-equity-2021/): Community Hearing on Transit Equity 2021:Findings and Recommendations April 2021 Download PDF Table of Contents Introduction Racial Equity Existing Inequities Policy Solutions Access and Justice Existing Inequities Policy Solutions Jobs and Workers’ Rights Existing Inequities Policy Solutions Climate and Environmental Justice Existing Inequities Policy Solutions Conclusion Acknowledgements Introduction In February 2018, the Amalgamated Transit - [Just Transition Report: Earth Day to May Day 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/earth-day-to-may-day-2021/just-transition/): JUST TRANSITION On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, we will continue to spread the word about our groundbreaking report: “Workers and Communities in Transition: A Report of the Just Transition Listening Project.” The report summarizes the direct experiences of more than 100 workers and community leaders who have lived through major economic transitions due to plant - [Transit Equity: Earth Day to May Day 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/earth-day-to-may-day-2021/transit-equity/): TRANSIT EQUITY Join the Labor Network for Sustainability and our amazing allies of the Transit Equity Network on Monday, April 26, 2021 as we amplify the Research and Findings of our Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 Community Hearing. Seventeen hearing facilitators heard from more than 60 live and recorded testifiers from around the U.S. who - [YWLP Start Survey](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/ywlp-survey/ywlp-start-survey/): Young Worker Listening Project Survey YWLP Survey I, my family, or my friends have suffered from air pollution or dirty water. * Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree I, my family, or my friends recently have been impacted by extreme weather or wildfires. * Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree I am concerned - [YWLP](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/ywlp/) - [Just Transition Listening Project Report: Executive Summary & Recommendations](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/jtlp-report-executive-summary-recommendations/): Executive Summary & Recommendations The idea of “just transition” has recently become more mainstream in climate discourse. More environmental and climate justice advocates are recognizing the need to protect fossil-fuel workers and communities as we transition away from fossil-fuel use. Yet, as detailed in our report, transition is hardly new or limited to the energy - [Just Transition Listening Project Report: Workers and Communities in Transition](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/): WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES IN TRANSITION Report of the the need has never been more urgent After nearly a year of interviewing more than 100 workers, Indigenous and community leaders affected by workplace closings, climate change and major shifts in local and regional economies, the Labor Network for Sustainability and partners released its report “Workers and - [WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES IN TRANSITION](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/workers-and-communities-in-transition/): WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES IN TRANSITION Report of the Just Transition Listening Project By J. Mijin Cha, Vivian Price, Dimitris Stevis, and Todd E. Vachon, with Maria Brescia-Weiler[1]The major findings of this report derive from more than 100 listening sessions, including qualitative interviews and focused discussion groups with workers and community members who have experienced, are - [Just Transition Report in the News](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-inthemedia/): In the Media “Workers and Communities in Transition” Why Medicare for All Must Be Part of the Green New Deal, Dharna Noor, Gizmodo “Just” Transitions Are Possible, But They Require State Investment, Leanna First-Arai, Truthout “This Is What the Beginning of a Climate-Labor Alliance Looks Like,” Kate Aronoff, The New Republic Media ContactJudy Asman (she/her)judy@labor4sustainability.org714-651-6170Get - [Just Transition Listening Project](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/just-transition-listening-project/): JTLP 2021 | Full Report | Pitch | Amplify | News | Webinars WATCH THE VIDEO » READ THE CHATS » Moderator | Moderador:Richard Lipsitz President, Western New York Area Labor Federation Presidente, Federación del Trabajo de la Zona Oeste de Nueva York Panelist | Panelista:Ana Belén Sanchez Regional Specialist in Green Employment, International Labor - [JTLP Report](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/): Workers and Communities in Transition: Report of the Just Transition Listening Project By J. Mijin Cha, Vivian Price, Dimitris Stevis, and Todd E. Vachon with Maria Brescia-Weiler (aAll authors contributed equally to this report and are listed alphabetically for convenience.) Introduction by Jeremy Brecher TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONSMain FindingsRecommendations Recommendations for - [JTLP Report: Appendices](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/appendices/): Appendices APPENDIX A SELECTED CASE STUDIES AND NARRATIVES Case 1 Colorado’s Shift Toward Renewable Energy and a Just Transition [8] Colorado has a long history of renewable energy policy. In early 2018 a Colorado legislator informed the state labor federation that he was planning to submit a bill to take Colorado to 100% renewable energy by - [Newsrelease](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-newsrelease/): News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2021 Contact: Judy Asman (she/her) judy@labor4sustainability.org 714-651-6170 The First Major Effort to Center the Voices of 100-Plus Workers and Indigenous and Community Leaders Affected by Workplace Closings, Climate Change and Major Shifts in Local and Regional Economies to Advance a Just Transition New report underscores a critical - [INTRODUCTION: WE ARE NOT DISPOSABLE](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/introduction-we-are-not-disposable/): INTRODUCTION: WE ARE NOT DISPOSABLE Workers and Communities Say No to Bearing the Burden of Change Call for a Just Transition to Climate Security By Jeremy Brecher Economic Change Is Threatening Workers and Communities American workers and their communities are facing historic economic transitions. Our current economic transition is a transition to growing hardship and - [CONCLUSION: MAJOR FINDINGS AND LESSONS](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/jtlp-2021/jtlp-report/conclusion/): CONCLUSION: MAJOR FINDINGS AND LESSONS This report would not have been possible without the workers, advocates, and Indigenous leaders who shared their stories and insights into how to stop the pattern of leaving workers and communities behind. Their lived experiences—through unjust transitions, pandemics, and tremendous grief and loss—are an important testimony to what happens during - [Transit Equity 2021](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/): The Community Hearing on Transit Equity: A National Conversation Wednesday, February 3 and Thursday, February 4, 2021 LIVESTREAM For the past four years on February 4, a network of transit rider unions, community organizations, environmental groups and labor unions have organized Transit Equity Day–a national day of action to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks - [TRANSIT EQUITY DAY 2021 IN THE MEDIA](https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2021/transit-equity-day-2021-in-the-media/): TRANSIT EQUITY DAY 2021 IN THE MEDIA Transit Equity Day – Metropolitan Planning CouncilShaping a better, bolder, more equitable future for all in the greater Chicago region. For more than 80 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has made the Chicago region a better place to live and work by par